Family Affair
by Pernshinigami
Summary: Taiko, who resembles a green eyed someone, does NOT want to go to Hogwarts. Can she keep her twin's secrets?"
1. Default Chapter

Family Affair  
  
Chapter 1 Do I have a choice in the matter?  
  
Taiko was up early on the day of the Quidditch Junior League Championships. For the third year in a row, her team, The Lady Valkire, had to play the Wolf Dormitory Snow Wolves. The Snow Wolves never won against the Valkire. They went for power generally, not talent or intelligence. There were only two girls on the entire team, Maricia and Avril. Taiko and Maricia had been rivals since Taiko had transferred, with her mother, to Salem. She dressed in the Red, Gold, and Blue of Valkire Dormitory. Then she looked in the mirror as she brushed her hair.   
  
Taiko didn't know why, but she kept expecting to see somebody else there with her. But there was only Taiko. Her hair was long, black, and a bit wild. Her eyes were as green as emeralds, fox green her mother had said. And of course, there was the crescent shaped scar that stretched around from her forehead to the upper portion her right cheek bone.   
  
Taiko had gotten that scar when she was two. Her father had saved her in the final battle before the Death Eaters surrendered; the Battle of Dragon River. Her father had died saving her from a Death Eater named Lucius Malfoy. Taiko's mother said that he had taken a Toge-ken, the thorn fist, to the chest. Toge-ken was almost always used on the arms and legs. To hit the head or body with it would almost certainly cause a killing blow.   
  
It's a new day   
  
But it all feels old   
  
It's a good life  
  
That's what I'm told   
  
But everything  
  
It all just feels the same   
  
Taiko walked downstairs to the Round Table room. There were four Salem Co-ed Dormitories; Valkire, Wolf, Bear, and Fox. Each one had a separate dormitory and a Round Table room, where they could socialize, do homework, etc. The special part about it was the round table itself. There was a map of the campus on it. On the map were tiny, moving dots showing where all the members of that particular dormitory were. That didn't include the teachers, but it did include the guests. All guests showed up on all maps.   
  
Oji and Belili hailed her when she came downstairs. Belili played keeper on Taiko's team. Oji was a Student Diplomat. The Diplomats enforced discipline and assisted the teachers. There was a male and a female one for each year above fifth. "Taiko! The Headmistress was looking for you!" Oji came striding across the floor, as always, with a book tucked under his arm. Belili grunted something. This was Belili's first championship.   
  
"What are you reading this time?" Taiko asked with a chuckle.   
  
"It's a new theory on Arithmancy." Oji grinned proudly. "Professor Forma gave it to me. She says that I've got the makings of a true Arithmatist."   
  
"I don't understand how you could do all that stuff." Belili rolled her eyes. "I mean, I look at one page and my brain goes dead."  
  
"Its really very simple." Oji said huffily. "I wonder what your mother wanted to see you about."   
  
"Whatever it is it can wait. Breakfast is almost over." Belili's stomach growled.   
  
They made it to the Mess hall, only to be greeted by, "Ohhhh Tiger, you're in trouble!" Maricia came flouncing over, sneering at Taiko. Tora was Taiko's last name, and it meant Tiger. By Taiko's Native Japanese customs, Tiger was a courteous form of address.   
  
Belili was bound by no such courtesy. "Fuck off Maricia. Taiko's behavior is none of your business."   
  
"You'd better not eat too much Ferret Queen, you won't be able to get off of the ground. Especially considering how much your mother needs to lose..." Taiko and Oji had to drag Belili away from Maricia in order to prevent a fistfight.   
  
At my high school   
  
It felt more to me   
  
Like a jail cell   
  
A penitentiary   
  
My time spent there   
  
It only made me see   
  
When they got to the locker room, Taiko and Belili changed so fast, Taiko half expected to put her robes on backwards or something.   
  
They managed to make it onto the pitch in time. "And here comes the Valkire team. Rei, Diana, Belili, Taiko, Sei, Miya and Zaki!"   
  
"One fourth the school is boo-ing." Belili stated, eyes wide.   
  
" Yeah guess which quarter!" Taiko smirked.   
  
"And the Wolfpack Team; Maricia, Clark, Avril, Bart, Stev, Sherman, and Grant" Ishtar, Diana's elder brother was commentating.   
  
"The Team Captains will shake hands." They did.   
  
"On my whistle!" Professor Falkner, the flight instructor told them. "And please Avril, make it a clean match this time."   
  
Avril, the Wolf team captain, simply sneered, shaking her long, silky black locks from their neat plait. It was her trademark pre-game wolf shake.   
  
The whistle blew. Falkner kicked open the trunk that contained the quidditch balls. Taiko leapt off the ground, twisted a spiral around the path of a bludger, then soared out of its reach.   
  
"Aaaaannnnddd Sei Shonagon has the quaffle! She passes to Rei! Who passes to Tanya! Back to Sei and... ooooh! Bludger by Wolfpack Beater Grant! Its Avril with the Quaffle, passes to Bart, passes to Stev, reverse pass to Avril! AVRIL SCORES!!"   
  
Taiko sailed upwards, squinting around for the snitch. As always when she flew, she felt indomitable. The elation of flight was incredible. She flew between the rings of her own goal post. "How you doing 'lili?"   
  
"Great!"   
  
That I don't ever wanna be like you   
  
I don't wanna do the things you do   
  
I'm never gonna hear the words you say   
  
And I don't ever wanna   
  
I don't ever wanna be you  
  
Taiko grinned, then ducked out of the way as Bart Linos shot the quaffle their way. Belili caught it and passed it to Sei Shonagon. Sei, Rei, and Diana shot down the field towards the goal. As Taiko spiraled upwards again, she saw the snitch. Flattening herself against her custom Firebolt (which she'd named Greased Lightning,) and shot towards the snitch.   
  
Don't wanna be just like you   
  
What I'm saying is   
  
This is the anthem   
  
Throw all your hands up   
  
Don't wanna be you   
  
Maricia shot after her and below her. She would reach the snitch first. She would? Taiko would rather kiss a squid than let her do that.   
  
"Go to college  
  
A university   
  
Get a real job"   
  
That's what they said to me   
  
But I could never live the way they want   
  
Taiko twisted her knees around her broom and hung upside-down beneath it, which followed the snitch at a mere thought. She stretched.  
  
I'm gonna get by   
  
And just do my time   
  
Out of step while   
  
They all get in line   
  
I'm just a minor threat so pay no mind   
  
Maricia was zooming closer, closer. The Tanuki Twins, Miya and Zaki rammed both bludgers out of the way.   
  
Do you really wanna be like them  
  
Do you really wanna be another trend  
  
Do you wanna be part of that crowd  
  
Cause I don't ever wanna   
  
I don't ever wanna be you  
  
Time seemed to slow down. At the exact last second. Taiko's fingers closed on the snitch. She pulled herself back up on her broom just in time to avoid being hit with the bludgers again and crashing into the stands.   
  
Don't wanna be just like you   
  
What I'm saying is   
  
This is the anthem   
  
Throw all your hands up   
  
Don't wanna be you   
  
Taiko landed only to be almost crushed beneath her friends. The Tanuki twins were first on the ground. Then Rei, Sei, and Diana, and finally, Belili glomped her in an excess of joy.   
  
Shake it once  
  
That's fine   
  
Shake it twice   
  
That's okay   
  
Shake it three times  
  
You're playing with yourself again  
  
Then Taiko was scooped up on the shoulders of her fellow Valkire. They carried her to where her beaming mother presented her with the gold, silver, and bronze Salem Junior Quidditch Cup, for the third time in a row.   
  
You   
  
Don't wanna be just like you   
  
What I'm saying is   
  
This is the anthem   
  
Throw all your hands up   
  
You all got to feel me  
  
Sing if you're with me   
  
You   
  
Don't wanna be just like you  
  
[Be just like you]  
  
Taiko showered off in the locker room and made her way out, still toweling her hair dry. That move was one of her signatures, the Monkey Swing. She stopped. A kind looking old man with sparkling gray eyes and half moon spectacles was waiting for her.   
  
"Ah, Taiko, your mother is waiting for you in her office, if you'll kindly show me the way?" The man arched an eyebrow, and his tone made it a question.   
  
This is the anthem   
  
Throw all your hands up   
  
You all got to feel me  
  
Sing if you're with me   
  
"Okay, sir." Taiko didn't recognize this man. He was probably a visitor from another school, Taiko thought as she led the way to the screaming eagle that marked the entrance to her mother's office. "Exploding Snap."  
  
Another loser anthem   
  
[Whoa]  
  
Another loser anthem  
  
[Whoa]  
  
Another loser anthem  
  
[Whoa]  
  
Another loser anthem  
  
The door opened. And Taiko knew instantly that she was very likely in deep trouble. 


	2. To you, I will always return

Family Affair  
  
Chapter 2 Here I am, this is me  
  
Taiko entered her mother's office. "Sorry mom. I slept in." Taiko said, shyly. One did not talk back to the headmistress, even one that was your mother. Then she saw the pictures that had been set up on the funeral altar. "DAD!" Taiko cried, scooping up the picture of her father and looking at it in wonderment. It was framed in black, in the frame that indicated the subject was dead.   
  
Here I am- This is me  
  
There's no where else on earth I'd rather be  
  
Here I am- its just me and you  
  
And tonight we make our dreams come true.   
  
It was then that Taiko noticed the other pictures. The first of them contained a woman with bright red hair and emerald green eyes. The second contained a man with messy black hair, like her father's, and blue eyes. The last one contained a man with black hair, tanned skin, and black eyes that seemed to be laughing. "Who are all of these, mom, were they friends of yours?" Taiko asked.   
  
"They were. The woman is Lilly. The man with blue eyes and messy black hair is her husband and your father's friend, James. The third one is their friend Sirius Black..."   
  
It's a new world- It's a new start  
  
It's alive with the beating of young hearts  
  
It's a new day- it's a new plan  
  
I've been waiting for you  
  
Here I am  
  
"HE'S DEAD???" Taiko demanded. "The one who got us a dementor body guard standing outside our gates??"   
  
"Yes he is, and he turned out to be innocent." Her mother said calmly. "Now, I wanted to talk to you, sit."   
  
Taiko sat, holding her father's picture to her chest as if it might shatter any second. "So what is it that's so important that it could keep me from the Quidditch finals?" Taiko asked, arching a skeptical eyebrow.   
  
Here we are- We've just begun  
  
And after all this time- our time has come  
  
Ya here we are- still going strong  
  
Right here in the place where we belong  
  
"I have decided, to send you on an exchange trip to England next year." Taiko's mother said, ruffling the papers on her desk. "Your brother and your Aunts Ginger, Sappho, Hikaru, and Natura are going with you."   
  
"No." Taiko stated. "I'm not going."  
  
"You don't have a choice in the matter." Taiko's mother said edgily.   
  
"I'm NOT going!!!" Taiko snarled.   
  
"Taiko, you'll be going to Hogwarts!" Sappho told her. "Do you know how good that is?"   
  
"I don't care, there are things more important that a good resume!" Like telling Belili how I feel about her, Taiko thought.   
  
Here I am- Next to you  
  
And suddenly the world is all brand new  
  
Here I am- where I'm gonna stay  
  
Now there's nothin' standin in our way  
  
"Taiko, you are the descendant of one of the four Hogwarts founders! Its our family Tradition to return for one year!" Aunt Hikaru yelled back.   
  
"I don't care! That's always been your problem! You never worried about me! You never cared how I feel when you dragged me out here from Kyoto! You never cared about how lonely it was to start in a new place where nobody even speaks the same language as you!" Taiko shouted. "All you cared about is grades! Achievements! Things that look good on your public record! Things that help your reputation!" Taiko shouted at her Aunts, completely ignoring the old man that was watching.   
  
"Taiko," Taiko's mother closed her eyes. "I know its been hard without your father, but I'm doing the best I can for your sake!"   
  
"Never. You never did things for my sake." Taiko snarled. "Otherwise you wouldn't have dragged me away from Roshimban Mahogakku, away from Dragon Castle. You wouldn't be shoving me away now..." Taiko had tears in her eyes.   
  
"Taiko." Her mother ignored her. "This is Professor Dumbledore, Head Master of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."   
  
"Hi." Taiko growled, slouching into the chair.  
  
Taiko knew that she couldn't win...  
  
Here I am- This is me...  
  
~later~  
  
"You're going WHERE??" Oji demanded. "You're going where???" His voice broke.  
  
"Away." Taiko grunted, turning back to her divination homework. /That stupid Professor Hecate. She knew about the exchange trip./  
  
"Taiko." Belili said softly. She hugged Taiko. "I'll miss you so much."   
  
Taiko knew she wouldn't be going back. She sobbed into Belili's shoulder.   
  
"Shh... don't cry..." Belili said softly. "Remember our song?" She sang comfortingly to Taiko.   
  
"I hear the wind call your name  
  
It calls me back home again  
  
It sparks up the fire- a flame that still burns  
  
Oh its to you I will always return."   
  
Belili stroked Taiko's hair comfortingly. "Come on Taiko. Sing with me."   
  
"I still feel your breath on my skin  
  
I hear your voice deep within  
  
The sound of my lover- a feeling so strong  
  
Its to you... I will always belong."   
  
The days after that seemed to pass in a blur. Taiko won second place in the annual Defense Against the Dark Arts Club Tournament, Belili earned third, Oji earned first. They earned Valkire Dormitory the Inter Dorm Championship Cup. But later, it was so hard to remember those final days at Salem.   
  
Now I know its true  
  
My every road leads to you  
  
And in the hour of darknes darling  
  
Your light gets me through  
  
Taiko held those words as a Talisman against the pain of parting. And finally, they stood in the circle. The buses waited to take the children back home. Oji and his older brother Aleser, Ishtar, Rei, and the twins, Miya and Zaki each bade her good bye. They gave her gifts and flours. The twins gave her a singing photo album of her and her friends. But it was Belili's farewell that hurt the most.   
  
Wanna swim in your river- be warmed by your sun  
  
Bathe in your waters- cos you are the one  
  
I can't stand the distance- I can't dream alone  
  
I can't wait to see you- I'm on my way home  
  
"By Taiko... I... I wanted to tell you how much you mean to me..." Belili sobbed. "I'll always remember you... promise me you'll never forget."   
  
"I promise Belili."  
  
"Talon swear?" Belili asked.   
  
Oh, I hear the wind call your name  
  
The sound that leads me home again  
  
They curled their fingers together so that it resembled an eagle's talon. "Eagle high, eagle low, wheel and scream and away we go! Eagles one, eagles all, we both answer eagle's call." They chanted in unison.   
  
Taiko ran after the bus as fast as she could. When it exited the school ground, Taiko kicked off on her broom, executing a Disillusionment charm to hide her from wary muggles. She followed the bus into the sunset, and only returned when it was dark, and prepared to leave the place that she had called her home for three years.  
  
It sparks up the fire- a flame that still burns  
  
Oh its to you- I will always return... 


	3. Welcome to the Burrow

Family Affair  
  
Chapter 3 Welcome to the Burrow  
  
The Portkey rod took Taiko and her mother to a copse of trees outside of Ottery St. Catchpole near the Burrow. Her aunts would follow soon. Taiko followed demurely after her mother. Their trunks were levitated along behind them. A group of teens about Taiko's age were gathered outside the house. A sign above the door read, The Burrow.   
  
"Hey! They're here!" Said one of the boys. Taiko was reminded of the Tanuki twins, for twin indeed he was. "Hi Professor Barona." He said cheerfully. "I'm Fred, this is my twin George, our younger brother Ron, our sister Ginny, Luna Lovegood and Hermione Granger."  
  
The twins, Ginny, and Ron all had red hair and blue eyes. Luna had curly blonde hair and a sort of a spacey expression. Hermione had light brown, slightly frizzy hair and brown eyes. "Hi." Hermione blushed slightly.   
  
"Hi." Taiko said shyly.   
  
"I'm sure you'll get along fine." Taiko's mother said cheerfully. "I'll just take your things inside for you." And she walked off.   
  
"Way to be insensitive MOM." Taiko muttered angrily.   
  
"You don't want to be here?" Hermione asked. "I'd have thought... I mean, there isn't a young witch or wizard that I've met that didn't want to go to Hogwarts."   
  
"You just met one." Taiko snarled. She had worn a knitted hat in stripes of red, blue, and gold and pinned her hair up under it. It would hide most of the unsightly curse scar and avoid any unwanted questions.   
  
"Well you don't have to get all huffy you know." Hermione said, crossing her arms over her chest.   
  
"Why don't you want to come?" Luna asked dreamily.   
  
"Because I already had to transfer schools once when my mother became headmistress of Salem." Taiko sighed dejectedly. "I'm not in the mood to do that again."   
  
"Oh." Luna said staring off into space and wandered inside.   
  
"Is she... um... playing with a full deck?" Taiko asked, watching her go.   
  
"We're not really sure." Ginny told her.   
  
"If you ask me she's one O.V.A. short of a series." Taiko said, quoting Shinesman.   
  
"That's not nice." Hermione scolded her.   
  
"Come on inside!" The twins beckoned to her.   
  
Taiko followed them inside. "And there she is!" Mrs. Weasley came over to them, stirring some kind of batter. "Oh... Take off your hat inside dear. And the twins will take you upstairs. You'll be sleeping with Hermione, Luna, and Ginny."   
  
Taiko did not remove her hat. As she was led upstairs Mrs. Weasley calmly snatched if off of her head. "I told you to take it off inside..." That was when she saw Taiko's face, the long crescent down the side of her forehead. "Oh dear. What happened to your face?"   
  
Taiko turned to her, glaring daggers. "A Thorn Fist Hex to the head at age two, now will you kindly give me back my hat? It hides the mark rather well, I think."   
  
"And your eyes, they look so much like Lilly's, but that hair! No doubt you're related to Norman!" Norman was Taiko's father. He had died protecting her from the Death Eaters. This was thus a rather touchy subject.   
  
"My eyes are FOX GREEN, not emerald green like that picture mother showed me, and I would LIKE my hat back thank you!" Taiko snatched it from her hand and shoved the hat on her head. It looked kind of like those Rasta hats that you'd see Bob Marley Wearing, and was crocheted from the same material. The only difference was color.  
  
Taiko went upstairs to Ginny's room, dumped her backpack next to her trunk, and strode outside. She was going to go outside and practice her guitar.   
  
~meanwhile~  
  
The Portkey brought Harry and Professor Dumbledore to the same copse of trees that Taiko had emerged in. Harry heard a guitar playing somewhere nearby and somebody was singing along.   
  
"Cowboy  
  
With the top let back and the sunshine shining  
  
Cowboy  
  
Spendin' all my time at Hollywood and Vine  
  
Cowboy  
  
Ridin' at night 'cause I sleep all day  
  
Cowboy  
  
I can smell a pig from a mile away..."  
  
The Professor sighed, barely batting an eyebrow. "I do not think that is a good sign. Harry, there's somebody I'd like you to meet, and I hope you will be tactful towards her."   
  
Intrigued, Harry followed Professor Dumbledore to where Taiko was playing guitar and rocking out.   
  
"No remorse for the sheriff, in his eye I ain't right  
  
I'm gonna paint his town red, and paint his wife white UH!  
  
Cause chaos, rock like Amadeus  
  
Find West Coast pussy for my Detroit players  
  
Mack like mayors, ball like Lakers  
  
They told us to leave, but bet they can't make us."  
  
"Taiko, what an... um... interesting song you're singing. Can I talk to you? There's somebody I'd like you to meet." Professor Dumbledore said amiably.   
  
"Huh?" Taiko asked. "Me no Taiko, me Rastamon! Me no habla engles! Me habla Espanol!" Taiko said, glaring at him, and continued playing her guitar.   
  
"Cuss like a sailor...drink like a Mc   
  
My only words of wisdom are just, "Suck My Dick."  
  
I'm flickin' my Bic up and down that coast and  
  
Keep on truckin' until it falls into motion."  
  
Professor Dumbledore rolled his eyes. "Taiko you cannot fool me. I know you're upset, but at least be polite."   
  
"What's that? I can't hear you?" Taiko glared at him, holding a hand to her ear. "See, I thought I heard somebody saying that they were gonna drag me half-way around the world without asking me. But that can't be, because all the adults that I know have respect for what their daughter/niece/student wants to do with their life, everybody does, because everybody has respect for their fellow humans, even the younger ones. So nobody would EVER say that."   
  
"You're absolutely right, I'll never learn." Professor Dumbledore rolled his eyes.   
  
"That's better, now what were you gonna say?" Taiko said, slinging her Guitar backwards on its strap over her shoulder.   
  
"Harry, I'd like you to meet Taiko Tora, the heir to Japan's Dragon Clan."   
  
"Pleased to meet you." Harry said cheerfully. "I'm Harry Potter."   
  
Taiko blinked, eyes flicking briefly to his scar. "Haven't you ever tried covering that up?" Taiko asked. "You can use some of my cover up if you like." She offered. At this Taiko flicked off her hat and rubbed a spot on the right side of her forehead. A long, crescent shaped scar was revealed. "I left for awhile because Mrs. Weasley made me take off the hat and she saw it. I took a Toge-ken to the head when I was two, my father, Norman, saved me from the Death Eater that did it, but nobody could heal it completely." Taiko explained to them both.   
  
"I remember Norman." Professor Dumbledore told Harry. "He was a good friend of your fathers' saved his life on the Quidditch field once. Hit both bludgers in the opposite direction without breaking a sweat." Then he said to Taiko. "I want to speak with your mother, and yourself as well."   
  
"Oh what the hay." Taiko sighed. "Follow me. I think she's making Sushi with Mrs. Weasley." Taiko led them down the hill. Harry saw Ginny and Luna tossing a soccer ball back and forth. They were practicing their passes.   
  
"Harry! You're here!" Ginny glomped Harry as he entered the gate.   
  
"Ack!" Harry cried as he staggered under her.   
  
Ginny slid off. "Guess whatguesswhatguesswhatguesswhat??" Ginny asked, bouncing happily in circles around them. "I'm going on an exchange trip to America this year! Fred and George gave mum the money to send me!"   
  
"Um... cool." Harry understood now. Taiko was coming to the Weasleys' to stay for a year, and Ginny was going to Taiko's school instead, but why was that so upsetting? "What are you two doing?"   
  
"I'm practicing passes, because I'm gonna try out for the Quidditch team there." Ginny grinned. "Its going to be a lot of fun."   
  
"Yes, well." Taiko said sarcastically, "Bully for you! Bully bully! You must excuse me if I don't jump for joy, bad back you know."   
  
"Oh, sorry." In her excitement, Ginny did not catch the sarcasm in Taiko's tone.   
  
"I was being sarcastic." Taiko growled. "Come on Harry, this way, before she crushes you in joy." Taiko glared at Ginny.   
  
"What's up her butt?" Ginny asked Luna.  
  
"Homesick I suspect." Luna said airily.   
  
Taiko did not look back. She met her Aunts, Uncle, and Mother in the kitchen. "Taiko-kabu!" (Trans. Taiko Cub, a reference to Taiko's last name, Tora, which means Tiger) Taiko's uncle reached his arms out to hug Taiko.   
  
Taiko squealed. "Andemon- Haku!" (Trans. Uncle Andemon) Taiko leapt into his arms.   
  
"How are you sweetie. You grew big!" Taiko's uncle grinned.   
  
"Harry, it took me awhile to track them down, but I found your extended family. These are your Aunt Barona." Taiko's mother smiled and nodded, her expression serene. She had long black hair and almond shaped blue eyes. "Your Aunts Ginger Tora," Ginger wore a cloak made out of Manticore hide. It was sewn so that the upper half of her face would be covered by the Manticore's face. "Hikaru Kame," Hikaru was dressed in Hufflepuff yellow robes. Around her neck was a golden chain and a pendant with a glittering cut citrine in it. "Sappho Taka," Sappho dressed from head to toe in Ravenclaw blue. She had a Firebolt slung over her shoulder and her boots were edged in bronze. "And Sappho's lover Natura, she was kicked out of the Malfoy house for ah... a difference in attitude."   
  
Natura blushed at this, and grinned wickedly in memory. Natura had the signature Malfoy blonde hair. Her eyes were a pale, ice blue, but they were sparkling not with malice, but with cheer. "Your younger cousin Iruka."   
  
"It means Dolphin." Iruka grinned impishly, in a manner that reminded Harry of the Weasley twins. Iruka had dirty blonde hair and sparkling blue eyes.  
  
"And finally, your twin Taiko."   
  
Taiko jumped. "WHAT THE HELL KIND OF A JOKE ARE YOU TRYING TO PULL OLD MAN!!!" Taiko growled.   
  
"I would not joke about something like this." Professor Dumbledore told her. "It took me years to find out what had happened. If you care to hear it."   
  
"DAMN RIGHT I DO!!" Taiko was shouting now. As it tried to deny the corollary, Taiko's whirling mind wanted to know one thing, HOW HOW HOW HOW HOW?  
  
"It seems, that virtuous though your father, James was, he could not handle raising more than one child at a time." Professor Dumbledore explained. "So he sent you, Taiko to live with his own twin Norman. He had planned to introduce the two of you to each other on your sixteenth birthday. On the other hand, with his twin's death Norman decided to have you lie low, fearing that the Deatheaters might target you, Taiko. His worst fears were confirmed when you turned two. Because you gave a famous prophecy on the exact day of your second birthday."   
  
"You predicted that the battle of Dragon Castle would be the end for the Deatheaters, and it was, but it was also Norman's death. Your last social tie to England, Hogwarts, and your twin was severed."   
  
Taiko was glaring up at him. "I don't believe you! I don't have to believe any of this!!"   
  
"Taiko! It's the truth!" Aunt Sappho cried, absolutely exasperated.   
  
Professor Dumbledore held up a hand to silence her. "What would make you believe?"   
  
"I don't know, a DNA test or something!" Taiko had tears of frustration in her eyes. "Or a family genealogy! Some form of Scientific data!"   
  
Professor Dumbledore smiled in a manner that Taiko's watching Aunts identified as very, very upset. Taiko glared up at him with an expression of absolute and total distrust. Yet to the Headmaster of Hogwarts, Taiko simply represented a common problem, the problem of skepticism and stubbernity. "I do not have a genealogy handy. Nor do I have access to DNA testing. I do know, however, a spell that will prove beyond a doubt, that you two are twins. Would you like to try it?"   
  
Taiko took a deep breath. "FINE! But I seriously don't think it will work."   
  
Dumbledore took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and tapped Taiko between the eyebrows with his wand. A golden strand stretched from where his wand had touched. Dumbledore then tapped Harry in the same place. The strand connected them and disappeared. Taiko felt a tickling, tingling sensation move into her head and down her nerves, spreading and dissipating into her entire body. Taiko gasped in shock. Harry gave a soft cry of surprise. Then the sensation was gone.   
  
//I knew it wouldn't work.// He heard Taiko grumble to herself. Only he didn't hear it.  
  
//Um... Did you say anything?// Harry asked.   
  
//No I.... ACCCKKKK!!!"// Taiko cried out. "WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO??? I'M HEARING HIS FRIGGING THOUGHTS NOW!!"   
  
"Which you wouldn't be able to do if you weren't twins." Professor Dumbledore explained. "There's your proof. Its called Twin Link. Now you'll be able find each other and speak to each other no matter where you are."   
  
"How dare... mother how could you... WHY!!??" Taiko demanded of her mother.   
  
"I am your Aunt now Taiko. I wasn't sure how to tell you. I didn't like having to lie..." Taiko's foster mother said helplessly.   
  
"I HATE YOU!! I HATE YOU IHATEYOUIHATEYOU!!!" Taiko roared at her mother. She turned around and stormed out of the house.   
  
"Professor, are you SURE that she's going to be alright?" Aunt Sappho asked. "That's an aweful lot of responsibility to put on her shoulders."   
  
"She can handle it Sappho, you know what will happen if she doesn't." Professor Dumbledore answered. 


	4. Standing Outside the Fire

Family Affair   
  
Chapter 4  
  
Notes: Okay, I have never tried answering reviews before in a chapter but I've seen other authoresses doing it so I think I can try...  
  
YuYuHakushoismyLIFE 2004-01-07 2 Signed   
  
"I hear the wind call your name  
  
It calls me back home again  
  
It sparks up the fire- a flame that still burns  
  
Oh its to you I will always return."   
  
"I still feel your breath on my skin  
  
I hear your voice deep within  
  
The sound of my lover- a feeling so strong  
  
Its to you... I will always belong."  
  
Who sings that! I've seen it before! I just can't remember where! Please tell me! ::shakes Authoress::Tell me! O_o ::puts down Authoress and starts dusting her off:: Please tell me, oh and last thing is Taiko a lesbyand (sp?) because the song kind of hints at that. ::puts up hands in defence:: I have nothing against that I just like closer. Ja ne! o^-^= meow!  
  
Me: Its from Spirit, Stallion of the Cimmaron. The song is by Bryan Adams. And yes Taiko is a Lesbian. But she hasn't told her Aunts that yet, so they don't understand why she's so bitter. She never got to tell her friend Belili how she feels about her, so she's rather upset.   
  
YuYuHakushoismyLIFE 2004-01-07 3 Signed   
  
more chapters please!  
  
Me: I will try. Midterms are in about 8 days and I'm working on a Beyblades S.I. fanfic too so it might take awhile. Once Midterms settle down I should be able to tap out a few chapters. I can type as fast as I can think, so I update fast.  
  
~on with fic~  
  
Taiko stormed up the hill with her guitar gripped so tightly in her hands that she risked snapping the strings. She sat down and began to play just about anything that came to mind.   
  
"Taiko." Uncle Andemon came up the hill after her, his own guitar in hand. "Why don't we practice? I was thinking that Standing Outside the Fire by Garth Brooks and Galileo by the Indigo Girls might be in order. And I'll pipe the melody for Castles in the Sky if you'll sing it."   
  
"Okay." This was her uncle's way of asking, 'Are you okay.' "It seriously feels like a Galileo kind of day doesn't it?"  
  
"What do you mean?" He asked.   
  
"Andemon, the day of my last Quidditch championship, when I looked in the mirror, I kept getting the feeling that there should be somebody standing there with me that wasn't." Taiko blurted out. "And... and now it all makes sense. I mean... didn't my mother have Lilly and James' pictures on the mantle, framed in black? And my foster father... he looks so much like James. I was so excited to see his picture that I forgot the resemblance back in my foster mother's office... and then I forgot about it when she told me that I'd be coming to Hogwarts!"   
  
"Well, yes, your foster father, Norman, and your biological father, James, were twins. James was sent to England to go to school. (A/N: have you ever noticed that he doesn't have a British Accent?) James settled there and fell in love with Lilly and had you and Harry. Norman married Barona, but Norman was sterile. When Barona remarried after her husband's death, she had Iruka. Iruka is your second cousin."  
  
"Dad was sterile? You wouldn't be able to tell from the way he and Barona went at it! Aunt Sappho said they were like rabbits!" Taiko laughed cruelly. "I'm sorry, I know its not funny."  
  
"On the contrary, things that at the time are not funny, will probably seem absolutely hilarious later."   
  
Taiko laughed, striking up the opening chords...  
  
"Galileo's head was put up on the block  
  
The crime was looking up for truth..." Then she paused. "Actually, Uncle Andemon, I've got a better song..."   
  
Taiko began to sing...  
  
"Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road.   
  
Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go.   
  
So make the best of this test, and don't ask why.   
  
It's not a question, but a lesson learned in time."   
  
She felt the shimmering of a port-key in the woods behind her. Probably DCF coming with this Draco Malfoy that her foster mother had told her about. She didn't care. Taiko was completely immersed in the song and the puzzle of its lyrics.   
  
"It's something unpredictable, but in the end is right.   
  
I hope you had the time of your life."  
  
She thought of her foster father, Norman. His twin James. They must have been quite a pair at Hogwarts.   
  
So take the photographs, and still frames in your mind.   
  
Hang it on a shelf of good health and good time.   
  
Tattoos of memories and dead skin on trial.   
  
For what it's worth, it was worth all the while.   
  
I hope you had the time of your life."   
  
Taiko heard footsteps, but she couldn't slow down. A good musician never allowed herself to be distracted.  
  
"It's something unpredictable, but in the end is right.  
  
I hope you had the time of your life."  
  
Then Uncle Andemon joined her on the final chords, his glorious tenor adding weight and intensity to her soprano.   
  
"I hope you had the time of your life."  
  
There was applause behind her. A woman about Aunt Sappho's age with bubblegum pink hair and a boy with blond hair, a pointed face, and gray eyes watched her.   
  
"That was very nice." The woman said. The boy looked down at the ground and shivered. "Andemon, that couldn't have been sweeter."   
  
"Stupid muggle junk." The boy grunted.   
  
"Nymphadora, pleased to meet you." Andemon said cheerfully.   
  
"Please call me Tonks now." Tonks told him.   
  
"And this is the Malfoy boy?" Andemon asked her.   
  
"Yup." Tonks said cheerfully. "Since I'm the reason why he's here, I figured I might as well save DCF the trouble."   
  
Department of Children and Families, Taiko thought. No wonder he's so bummed, he was taken away from his parents. "I'm Taiko." Taiko said cheerfully, extending a hand to the boy.   
  
"Draco." The boy grunted, taking it.   
  
"Pleased to meet you Draco." Taiko said with a warm smile.   
  
"We'd better get going down the hill." Tonks steered Draco down the hill.   
  
"What's wrong with him?" Taiko asked.  
  
"His father was a deatheater and was caught. That's grounds for DCF to take him away." Andemon answered.   
  
"I understand." Taiko said softly. "Poor kid. If its hard on parents its even harder on the kids."   
  
~meanwhile~  
  
"You're joking." Ron stated.   
  
"I joke not." Harry answered, blushing in embarassment.  
  
"You're kidding." Hermione stated.   
  
"I kid you not." Harry answered.  
  
"A TWIN??" The twins chorused.   
  
"Appearantly. A very denial twin thing." Harry shook his head, trying to clear the heat from his cheeks. There was a choking sensation in his throat, like a knot had been tied there. A knot that he knew had nothing to do with Lord Voldemort.   
  
Harry told them what Dumbledore had done. The twins' eyes widened. "BUT WE CAN DO THAT!!" They exclaimed in unison. "We could always do that!" Fred exclaimed.  
  
"Since we were five!" George emphasized.   
  
"That's how we were able to make so much trouble at the same time!"  
  
"You're kidding Potter." Harry whirled, Draco stood at the door of the living room that Fred and George had made enough money to add to the house. "A TWIN?? What's he like?"  
  
"She." Harry snapped. He had been hoping that Draco would not show up this soon. The knot in his throat eased and something in his stomach began to tickle him. "And she's upset about it, so don't tease her when she comes back in."   
  
"Okay! I'm happy now!" Taiko said cheerfully, coming in through the back door. "Ahhh nothing like a good practice with a sensitive ear to get the creative juices flowing."   
  
Everybody in the room stared at her. "WHAT??" She demanded in a straggled voice. "Isn't it bad enough that I get dragged away from Oji and Belili?? I have to deal with people staring at me too!!"   
  
"Why didn't you tell us you were Harry's twin?" Ron stated.   
  
"I didn't know until Professor Dumbledore told me!" Taiko protested. "How could I have known?? Professor Barona hid the information from me until a couple of hours ago!"   
  
Draco was studying her curiously. "Lets see, same hair, only longer, same eyes, her skin color's a little darker, but she's Fraternal so I would have expected it. She's about an inch and a half shorter and her build is slightly slimmer. The shape of her face is a little squarer. Play Quidditch Taiko?"   
  
"Um... yeah."  
  
"Which position?"  
  
"Seeker."   
  
"Another parallel." Draco said, curiosity, not malice in his voice. "What subjects do you take as electives?"  
  
"Um... AP Divination and AP Care of Magical Creatures but Oji was going to teach me Ancient Runes."   
  
"Another thing in common." Draco said, "Except for the Ancient Runes part. What's your best subject?"  
  
"Defense Against the Dark Arts, although I'm pretty good at Elemental and Ritual Magic when I need to be." Taiko answered him.  
  
"See, you share a best subject." Draco smirked. "And..." He pulled Taiko's hat off.  
  
"Hey!" She protested.   
  
"And you both have a scar, except they look different and they're in different places." He said, satisfied. "That settles it, you're twins alright."   
  
Hermione shook her head. "Draco, if you're quite finished, I'm sure you can help the boys set up the tables for the party."   
  
"Awwww." Draco protested.   
  
"Come on!" Harry growled, dragging him outside. Draco put up a good act of fighting him, but he secretly liked Harry's touch. How long had he loved him? Love? Yes it was love, and he'd been feeling it since the third year. In fourth he had stopped denying it. In fifth he had started to yearn stronger and stronger everyday, until Pansy had dragged him aside and demanded to know what was wrong. Draco had finally trusted her two months ago. A month ago his father had overheard him talking to Pansy about it. Lucius Malfoy had been furious. He beat Draco half-senseless. That was when the Ministry had entered the house on a Raid. They found his father's death eater uniform and his Dark Arts equipment. The verdict was swift. The Auror named Tonks and a DCF official had taken him away, to Draco's infinite relief.   
  
So Draco put all his effort into the physical tasks that Mr. Weasley set him, taking every opportunity to brush Harry's shoulder, or reach for the same item, brushing their hands a bit.   
  
Then came, the Incident. "INCOMING!!" Fred's levitation charm caused a table top to zoom towards them. Harry instinctively shoved Draco aside. Draco cringed, and then realized that Harry was straddling his hips. Draco stiffened, his eyes closed to hide the array of emotions that flickered across them; lust, pleasure, longing, sadness, nervousness, and fear, and so strong that it took a few seconds to register Harry's look of surprise.   
  
Then Harry rolled of Draco, and the magical moment was over. The twins helped Harry up. "Sorry mate, we didn't see you there." Draco stood after them.   
  
Draco clenched his fists, rather upset that it wasn't Harry helping him to his feet. But then he remembered that Harry had a reason to. Harry moved off. Draco was about to follow when he saw Hermione watching him. "What is it Granger." (Since he couldn't use the term "Mudblood" in the Weasley's house.)  
  
"Just the expression on your face." Hermione smirked. "It was rather interesting. I'm surprised that Harry didn't notice it."   
  
"That's none of your business Granger!" Draco snarled bitterly.   
  
"I suspected all along that you were jealous of us." Hermione said, with a small smile. "I didn't know that you had a crush on Harry too. How long have you been denying it?"   
  
"I told you it's none of your business!" Draco snarled desperately. If Hermione let that out of her mouth... If his secret disgrace was known...   
  
"Oh don't worry, I won't tell." She smirked in a manner that Draco did not entirely find reassuring. "After all, little flowers are soooo fragile." Draco realized that Hermione had no reason to keep his secret. He had alienated the wrong people for almost six years and he was paying for it now.   
  
"I am not fragile!" Draco protested.   
  
Hermione chuckled and turned away to help Mrs. Weasley with a particularly delicate pastry.   
  
Draco decided that the hill was a perfectly serene place to hide, just in case Hermione had something nasty planned, and he could watch Harry without being watched himself.   
  
~the feast~  
  
Guests began to arrive. Mad Eye showed up around three, a fresh curse scar on his cheekbone from a recent tussle with a Death Eater. Hagrid took Draco's place in setting up tables. Kingsley, Snape and Mundungus arrived, (and several Sushi rolls went suspiciously missing from the kitchen.) Rita Skeeter came in, since she wanted to do an article on "Dumbledore's Army" and since Hermione wouldn't let her do anything Hogwarts related without her approval, Rita had to track her down. Then she joined the girls in making dinner, making a delicious sort of cornmeal/hushpuppy with whole corn kernels. That was when Professor Lupin arrived, and got wrangled by Snape into helping the men set up. Amos Diggory and Mr. Lovegood arrived as well. Being the nearest Wizarding Familes, they were, of course, invited. Lee Jordan showed up and along with the twins set up a fireworks display for after dark.   
  
Andemon and Taiko began to tune up. They wouldn't be playing until after they'd eaten, but at least they could get ready. Their instuments finished, they sat down at the table and began to eat. The food was delicious. Some of the dishes, Taiko could remember from her time in Japan. Oh but it seemed a lifetime ago that she'd tasted Osakan Style soup! Then she went back and had the same thing Tokyo style. Taiko watched as Moody tentatively sniffed one of the sushi rolls.   
  
"Oh they're not poisoned." Mundungus reassured him.   
  
"How do YOU know?" Moody asked.   
  
"'Cause I sneaked some from the kitchen forty five minutes ago." Mundungus said smugly. "They tasted really good."   
  
Draco rolled his eyes. The kids sat at their own end of the table. Draco was still ill at ease around the Weasleys, especially the twins. Harry sat with Taiko and Hermione on his right side and Draco and Ron on his left. Lee and the twins were sitting across from them, (which meant that Harry couldn't see Lee's hand on George's thigh.) Ginny and Luna shyly sat next to Fred. Ginny was wearing the Salem Valkire Quidditch uniform, a throwback jersey dress, white edged in red and gold. Upon this was a blue and black "Screaming Eagle" chasing after a Snitch.   
  
"Wow." Ginny exclaimed, looking at some of the food.   
  
"This soup is white." Ron stated, looking into the copper cauldron of soup.   
  
"Ohh, West Coast style." Taiko said cheerfully. "That recipe varies depending on where you go. In Osaka fu and Kyoto fu its white and in Tokyo to its clear." She speared some fried codfish onto her fork and added some of Rita's cornmeal hushpuppies to her plate.   
  
"Tokyo to?" Hermione asked. "I thought it was just Tokyo."   
  
"Japan is divided into prefectures, or todofuken." Taiko explained. "They're called Todofuken because the major ones are named; Tokyo to, Hokkaido do, Kyoto fu, Osaka fu and all the rest are just referred to as ken."   
  
"Oh." Hermione spooned up some of the soup. "Hey! This stuff is really good! Try it Ron!"   
  
Ron protested by wrinkling his nose. "I'm not trying white soup... for all you know it contains something vile in it like bull sperm or something."   
  
"It does not! That's tofu!" Taiko protested. "Its really good!"   
  
"Tofu?" Ron asked, "What's that?"   
  
"I think its cheese made from soy milk." Luna said dreamily, stirring her soup. "And Ron, you're being an idiot."   
  
"Ron's always a prat Luna." Fred said with a shrug.   
  
George sighed as Lee's hand inched further up his thigh and sank lower into the seat. //Oh boy.// Fred said to him via twin link. //You'd better not kick me out onto the couch again.//  
  
//Don't worry, I was thinking lots of stars and some nice green grass.//   
  
//And lots of noise I'll bet.// Fred chuckled mentally.   
  
//Yeah, that too. You know... the usual... bells, whistles, music...//  
  
//Moaning and writhing and screaming...// Fred chuckled. //I'll probably wake up with my sheets a mess.//   
  
Taiko closed her eyes when she finished her meal. She turned, looking inquiringly down the table at Uncle Andemon. He nodded and gave her a thumbs up. Then he stood, clearing his throat. "My niece and I will be performing for you tonight. We've been practicing this afternoon. Taiko if you would?" Taiko stood and picked up her guitar. She moved to the platform in front of the tables with her Uncle. Andemon took up a violin to go with it.   
  
Taiko strummed the opening bars, her heart pounding...   
  
"We call them cool   
  
Those hearts that have no scars to show   
  
The ones that never do let go   
  
And risk the tables being turned."   
  
That caught Draco and Harry's attention, and he listened, trying to figure out what kind of message they were trying to send.   
  
"We call them fools   
  
Who have to dance within the flame   
  
Who chance the sorrow and the shame   
  
That always come with getting burned."   
  
"But you got to be tough when consumed by desire   
  
'Cause it's not enough just to stand outside the fire."  
  
Uncle Andemon looked pointedly at Taiko. She knew what he wanted her to say. And again, she ignored him. He had never known about her feelings for Belili, none of them had. None of them had even cared.  
  
"We call them strong   
  
Those who can face this world alone   
  
Who seem to get by on their own   
  
Those who will never take the fall   
  
We call them weak   
  
Who are unable to resist   
  
The slightest chance love might exist   
  
And for that forsake it all"   
  
Draco thought that this rather describe him and Harry. Total opposites, yet was neither way to be, neither personality wrong?   
  
"They're so hell bent on giving, walking a wire   
  
Convinced it's not living if you stand outside the fire."  
  
" Standing outside the fire   
  
Standing outside the fire   
  
Life is not tried it is merely survived   
  
If you're standing outside the fire."  
  
"There's this love that is burning   
  
Deep in my soul   
  
Constantly yearning to get out of control   
  
Wanting to fly higher and higher   
  
I can't abide standing outside the fire."   
  
Taiko closed her eyes as she sang this. Her voice rang with a conviction that she hadn't felt since she'd had to leave Belili, and Salem, her home.   
  
"Standing outside the fire   
  
Standing outside the fire   
  
Life is not tried it is merely survived   
  
If you're standing outside the fire." Andemon joined her on the second chorus, his voice lent weight to the song.  
  
The applause rang for her. Taiko blushed and smiled at the crowd. "Thank you. I have a song for you that I chose, its by Matchbox Twenty, a Muggle band that I heard on the Radio in BAGLY territory of Boston. Its called 'Bright Lights'"  
  
"She got out of town on the railway, new york bound  
  
Took all except my name  
  
Another alien on broadway  
  
Well, some things in this world you just can't change  
  
Some things you can't see until it gets too late."   
  
Andemon had told her to sing with all her feeling and strength. Taiko could sing something that she felt now. Maybe her foster mother would understand, but she doubted it.   
  
"Baby, baby, baby when all your love is gone  
  
Who will save me from all I'm up against out in this world  
  
And maybe, maybe, maybe  
  
You'll find something that's enough to keep you  
  
But if the bright lights don't receive you  
  
You should turn yourself around and come on home"  
  
"I got a hole in me now.  
  
I got a scar I can talk about.  
  
She keeps a picture of me in her apartment in the city.  
  
But some things in this world  
  
Man, they don't make sense.  
  
Some things you don't need until they leave you  
  
And then the things that you miss, you say."  
  
Taiko closed her eyes half way, concentrating on producing the music, focusing on the warm, tingling feeling that was her love for Belili. A warm summer wind caressed her face, and she wanted this moment, this song, to last forever.   
  
"Baby, baby, baby when all your love is gone  
  
Who will save me from all I'm up against out in this world?  
  
And maybe, maybe, maybe  
  
You'll find something that's enough to keep you  
  
But if the bright lights don't receive you  
  
You should turn yourself around and come on home."   
  
Her guitar music began to intensify. Taiko was rocking now. She vented all of her frustration into the bridge. Every bit of anger and resentment towards her foster mother was released into a stunning catharsis of sound.  
  
"Let that city take you in (come on home)  
  
Let that city spit you out (come on home)  
  
Let that city take you down, yeah  
  
For god sakes turn around."  
  
A guitar solo. Taiko concentrated solely on the notes. It was like she was in a different world now. It was an alternative trance that was steered with one intent, to bring herself peace of heart and mind, then...  
  
"Baby, baby, baby when all your love is gone  
  
Who will save me from all I'm up against out in this world?  
  
Yeah well, maybe, maybe, maybe  
  
You'll find something that's enough to keep you  
  
But if the bright lights don't receive you  
  
Well, turn yourself around and come on home  
  
"Yeah, come on home  
  
Baby, baby, baby, baby  
  
Come on home  
  
Yeah, come on home  
  
Yeah, come on home  
  
Yeah, come on home  
  
Baby, baby, baby, baby  
  
Come on home."  
  
The song faded out, and Taiko felt a sensation, as keen as pain that it was gone. Yet relief flooded her as well, relief that she was free from stress. She's spoken her mind. That was enough. Let the others interpret it their way.   
  
Draco whispered in Harry's ear. "After dinner I'd like to talk to you."   
  
Harry shrugged. "If I can get away." He muttered. "You better not be trying to trick me or anything."   
  
Draco shook his head. "Just something that's been on my mind lately." He whispered. 


	5. 30 Minutes to Finally Decide

Family Affair  
  
Chapter 5 30 Minutes  
  
~notes~  
  
I do not own Harry Potter. J.K. Rowling does. I also do not own the song, 30 Minutes, tATu does. This done, I will proceed to the fanfic.  
  
Warning: This chapter contains heavy shit. This includes Yaoi, lime, shibbyness, mention of suicide etc. If you can't take it, don't read it, you have been warned.   
  
~fic~  
  
Mama, Papa forgive me   
  
Taiko came down from the podium on which she and her Uncle Andemon had been performing. It was dessert, they'd come back up to finish at nine. They had about half an hour until dessert at seven, so when Draco excused himself and headed towards the woods behind the Weasleys' yard, Harry waited thirty seconds before excusing himself as well, and following.   
  
Draco was waiting for him. "Took you long enough." He grunted.   
  
"So what's this all about?" Harry asked, more curious than annoyed.   
  
Out of sight, out of mind   
  
Out of time to decide   
  
Do we run? Should I hide   
  
For the rest of my life   
  
Draco regarded him for a moment. "Well for starters, thanks. If you hadn't gotten my father caught, the Ministry wouldn't have raided our castle and Tonks wouldn't have caught my father beating me half to death."   
  
"Is that all?" Draco was THANKING him? That was indeed odd.   
  
Draco moved towards him until their faces were an inch apart. "No, that isn't all."   
  
Can we fly? Do we stay?   
  
We could lose we could fail   
  
In the moment it takes   
  
To make plans or mistakes   
  
Harry felt his insides quiver with that warm feeling again. His body felt so still, so quiet. Draco leaned in closer. Before he knew it their lips were touching. Harry felt a sort of a jolt as a shiver ran down his spine. It felt so good. He leaned into the kiss, opening his mouth. Draco slipped his tongue into Harry's mouth, tasting, exploring. Harry was too stunned to struggle, their tongues twined in passion.   
  
30 minutes, the blink of an eye   
  
30 minutes to alter our lives   
  
30 minutes to make up my mind   
  
30 minutes to finally decide   
  
They broke apart for breath. It was a good thing that Harry was leaning against a tree, otherwise he probably would have fallen over. He blinked eyes wide. "What the hell?" His voice croaked slightly.   
  
Draco was panting too. They were right up against each other. "Well... now you know why my dad beat me then."   
  
Harry blinked. "Come again?"   
  
Draco smirked, rolling his eyes. "Harry, think back on the past two years. Have I been teasing you? No, I've been teasing your friends Weasley and Granger. Why? Because I like you, that way, because I've got a crush on you that my father couldn't tolerate."  
  
Harry's mind frantically tried to deny what he'd just done. "B...but..."  
  
Draco rolled his eyes again. "So I tried to get you alone. And each time you foiled me. I could never talk to you. I could never reach you."   
  
Harry closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. This was too weird. "But you kept saying how great your father was..."   
  
"And he was, until he started to suspect my feelings for you." Draco's voice was a mere whisper. "I love you Harry Potter. And he couldn't tolerate that."   
  
30 minutes to whisper your name  
  
30 minutes to shoulder the blame  
  
"He beat you?" Harry asked. He tried to shake the confusion from his head. It didn't work. A million memories floated through his brain. The past two years...   
  
Gently, so that Draco could pull away, Harry thumbed open the button's of Draco's shirt. Around his shoulders he saw the marks, like cuts, or whip slashes, or belt marks. Some of them were recent and still swollen. Harry slipped the shirt gently down Draco's shoulders. Draco hissed as it brushed some of the new cuts. The cuts ran down his arms, short and at odd angles. And... at the wrists... Harry turned Draco's wrists upward, dreading what he might find.   
  
30 minutes of bliss, 30 lies  
  
30 minutes to finally decide  
  
Sure enough, there were short, sharp marks across Draco's wrists. Harry sharply took in a breath as his hands traced lightly over the marks. "You... you cut yourself?" Harry asked. Harry was sure that Draco knew how to heal his own wounds, there was no way to tell how old these were.   
  
Carousels in the sky  
  
That we shape with our eyes  
  
Under shade, silhouettes  
  
Casting shame  
  
Crying rain  
  
Draco simply nodded. Harry softly let the shirt fall to the forest floor. He pulled Draco into his arms, stroking the blonde's hair tenderly. "Oh Draco." Harry said gently. "Oh Draco."   
  
Can we fly, do I stay  
  
We could lose, we could fail  
  
Either way, options change  
  
Chances fail, trains derail  
  
Draco finally let loose, crying, his head leaning against Harry's chest. Harry felt his stomach melt. A knot unfroze. He had never really hated Draco, he realized. It was kind of hard not to. Oh gods, he had never thought that Draco was a cutter. Harry buried his face in the soft blonde pillow, crying with him, all the pent up emotion from six years finally coming loose.   
  
30 minutes the blink of an eye  
  
30 minutes to alter our lives  
  
Harry turned Draco's face up to look at him. This was one of the hardest things that he had ever done. "I love you Draco." He said softly, and leaned in to kiss him passionately.   
  
30 minutes to make up my mind  
  
30 minutes to finally decide  
  
Draco blinked in surprise, then closed his eyes, leaning into the kiss. Harry ran his tongue along Draco's lips. Draco opened his mouth, letting Harry's tongue in. Their tongues twined in joy. Draco shivered in pleasure against him. Harry pulled back for air, and gently placed kisses along Draco's jawline, tracing each of the lash marks with his tongue and lips.   
  
30 minutes to whisper your name  
  
30 minutes to shoulder the blame  
  
Draco wrapped his arms around Harry's waist, moaning his name softly. They gently flopped onto the moss of the forest floor. It was almost like a cool cushion under their back. "How long can we stay here, like this?" Draco asked, voice rich with lust.   
  
30 minutes of bliss, 30 lies  
  
30 minutes to finally decide  
  
"We'll find some way to finish this." Harry said softly, teasing the nipples of Draco's chest with his tongue. "We'll find some way..."  
  
To decide, to decide, to decide, to decide 


	6. Why'd you have to go and make things so ...

Family Affair  
  
Chapter 6 Complicated  
  
All too soon, Harry heard Hermione calling. "Harry? Draco?? Dessert!!"   
  
Draco and Harry guiltily stood up, dusted themselves off, and straightened assorted pieces of clothing. Harry stumbled out of the woods, followed by Draco. "Where have you two been?" She asked. Then Hermione said, surprised, "Draco, Harry, you have leaves in your hair. Have you been fighting?"   
  
"No." Harry said, almost choking in surprise. "Not at all, why?"   
  
Hermione was not convinced. "Then how come you've got bruises along your jawline?" Draco almost choked. It was lucky that Hermione had her back to him. Harry did some fast thinking. He hadn't counted on hickies when he'd entered the wood.  
  
"I tripped on a rock Hermione, that's all." Harry lied. While he felt a bit guilty, he didn't want to spill the beans on Draco. Let him test the waters first.   
  
When he got to the table, he got the perfect opportunity. "HARRY!" Taiko exclaimed. "Are those HICKIES on your jaw?"   
  
Hermione snorted into her milkshake. "HICKIES? Harry have you and Draco been..."   
  
The response was simultaneous and vehement denial.   
  
"NO WAY!" Draco exclaimed.   
  
"Are you insane??" Harry demanded.   
  
Hermione regarded Harry steadily for a moment. "No, but I do think that you two aren't telling me something."   
  
Ron laughed on a mouthful of pie. "Are you crazy? Hermione, they HATE each other!"   
  
Harry stared into his plate of bundt-cake. "Yeah." He said, not really meaning it. "We hate each other."   
  
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Alright. Fine."   
  
Harry focused entirely on his dessert.   
  
~half an hour later~  
  
The signal caused Taiko to rise from her place at the table. Mrs. Weasley stacked the dishes with a wave of her wand and moved the tables against one edge of the wall. Professor Dumbledore arranged the benches around the edge of the garden with a second series of spells. Snape and Lupin joined Taiko and Andemon on the platform. Snape carried a flute under one arm and Lupin carried a second guitar.   
  
Taiko gave them directions. Lupin nodded. They waited, poised. As Harry watched, Taiko held up one finger, then two, then three.... Before she began to play. Harry's jaw dropped. Snape was listening to a child, playing the same piece as Lupin, and Lupin was actually SINGING! It took him a moment to register the words...   
  
Somewhere a voice calls, in the depths of my heart  
  
May I always be dreaming, the dreams that move my heart  
  
So many tears of sadness, uncountable through and through  
  
I know on the other side of them I'll find you  
  
"Ooo! Ooo! I know this one!" Tonks said happily. "It was from Spirited Away!"   
  
Taiko was glorious. Her voice sailed effortlessly across the scales. Lupin's guitar followed hers in the melody. As they played, the guests got up, one by one, and paired off to dance. She looked around, and saw Harry and Draco dancing in a darkened corner under a tree. Let them in peace, she thought.   
  
Everytime we fall down to the ground, we look up to the blue sky above  
  
We wake to its blueness, as for the first time  
  
Though the road is long and lonely and the end far away, out of sight  
  
I can with these two arms embrace the light  
  
Draco allowed Harry to lead him into a darker area of the garden to dance. He was a delight to partner. Harry's hand around his waist made him feel warm, even though the midsummer night was a bit chilly.   
  
Harry felt the same. It was amazing how easy it was to dance like this with a partner that didn't parade you around like a doll. They were moving as one person. Harry felt completely calm and at peace.   
  
As I bid farewell my heart stops, in tenderness I feel  
  
My silent empty body begins to listen to what is real  
  
The wonder of living, the wonder of dying  
  
The wind, town, and flowers, we all dance one unity  
  
Taiko smiled as she watched them. But she had learned to keep on playing no matter what. She noticed Hermione and Ron dancing, but Hermione didn't seem to be paying complete attention to what was going on. She was keeping an eye open to see where Harry had disappeared to.   
  
Somewhere a voice calls in the depths of my heart  
  
Keep dreaming your dreams, don't ever let them part  
  
Why speak of all your sadness or of life's painful woes  
  
Instead let the same lips sing a gentle song for you  
  
The whispering voice, we never want to forget  
  
In each passing memory always there to guide you  
  
When a mirror has been broken, shattered pieces scattered on the ground  
  
Glimpses of new life, reflected all around  
  
Window of beginning, stillness, new light of the dawn  
  
Let my silent, empty body be filled and reborn  
  
No need to search outside, nor sail across the sea  
  
Cause here shining inside me, it's right here inside me  
  
I've found a brightness, its always with me...  
  
The dancers paused before her. Taiko grinned. The next song would ruin the mood cast by the first, and horribly. But it would also jolt everybody awake, big time....  
  
She grinned and struck up the tune. Uncle Andemon's eyebrows went up a bit. So did a few other peoples. Taiko didn't really care. This was one of the few songs that were "her songs." They were her favorites.   
  
"Okay everybody. This song is one of my favorites. If you know it you're welcome to sing along. I think there are some people out there who can empathize..."  
  
Uh Huh   
  
Life's like this   
  
Uh Huh   
  
Uh Huh   
  
That's the way it is   
  
Cause life's like this   
  
Uh Huh   
  
Uh Huh   
  
That's the way it is   
  
The kids gratefully gathered in the center of the dance floor. Some of the younger grown ups joined in. Hermione practically glowed, a glow that made Taiko's heart flutter. /You know, I think I'm finally starting to get over Belili./   
  
Chill out   
  
What you yellin for?   
  
Lay back   
  
It's all been done before   
  
And if you could only let it be   
  
You will see   
  
I like you the way you are   
  
When we're drivin in your car   
  
And you're talkin to me one-on-one   
  
But you become   
  
Hermione knew the song and the dance. The twins led the chorus. She could even see Draco join in on the refrain. Yes, she had definitely chosen well. Tonks even sang along.   
  
Somebody else   
  
Round everyone else   
  
Watchin your back   
  
Like you can't relax   
  
You tryin to be cool   
  
You look like a fool to me   
  
Tell me   
  
Taiko lowered her voice for the others to sing along. And sing along they did, practically bellowing out the words.   
  
Why'd you have to go and make things so complicated?   
  
I see the way you're actin like you're somebody else   
  
Gets me frustrated   
  
Life's like this you   
  
You fall and you crawl and you break and you take what you get   
  
And you turnin into   
  
Honestly, you promised me   
  
I'm never gonna find you fake it   
  
No no no   
  
You fall and you crawl and you break. Hadn't she done that before? She fell into Salem. She crawled and when she left, she broke. Taiko could honestly pour her heart into the song. It was beautiful!  
  
You come over unannounced   
  
Dressed up like you're somethin else   
  
Where you are ain't where it's at you see   
  
You're makin me   
  
Laugh out   
  
When you strike a pose   
  
Take off   
  
All your preppy clothes   
  
You know   
  
You're not foolin anyone   
  
When you become   
  
Even those who had never heard the words sang along on the refrain, since the words were easy to sing. It was beautiful and powerful and good. It was a release from the stress of the times.   
  
Somebody else   
  
Round everyone else   
  
Watchin your back  
  
Like you can't relax   
  
You tryin to be cool   
  
You look like a fool to me   
  
Tell me   
  
Taiko could ask that question to her foster mother. Why had she made everything so complicated? She could tear her life down and now she had to pull it back up. Either way, she'd have some fun in the process. A new adventure, that's how she ought to see it.   
  
Why'd you have to go and make things so complicated?   
  
I see the way you're actin like you're somebody else   
  
Gets me frustrated   
  
Life's like this you   
  
You fall and you crawl and you break and you take what you get   
  
And you turnin into   
  
Honestly, you promised me   
  
I'm never gonna find you fake it   
  
No no   
  
Everybody joined in on the chorus. Harry grinned as he sang along. How had Taiko known? Or had this been Taiko's feelings about the transfer. It would be kind of hard without Ginny around. She was very helpful, and if a battle came up, they'd be down one man, or woman as the case may be, in the D.A. but she'd definitely have some fun.   
  
Why'd you have to go and make things so complicated?   
  
(yeah yeah)   
  
I see the way you're actin like you're somebody else   
  
Gets me frustrated   
  
Life's like this you   
  
You fall and you crawl and you break and you take what you get   
  
And you turnin into   
  
Honestly, you promised me   
  
I'm never gonna find you fake it   
  
No no no   
  
"No no no." He whispered in Draco's ear. He brushed against him gently as he turned, nobody saw him, except, perhaps, Hermione. 


	7. How can I ever get close to anybody if I...

Family Affair   
  
Notes: I found a wicked cool looking Yu Yu Hakusho site! (squeeeeeee) Its called Mazecastle.com. I finally found the lyrics to that pesky song, Smile Bomb and The Homework Doesn't End!   
  
I also got the idea for the guest quarters from Washu's "laboratory" and various "improvements" to Tenchi's house. I find the characters in Tenchi have much in common with those in Harry Potter in terms of outright hilarity.  
  
I also have an uncut version of this chapter. As there is currently a ban on Lemons I cannot post it. Oh well, I'll see if FictionAlley.org will take it.   
  
Chapter 7 Midnight in the Burrow  
  
Finally, after two hours, the party broke up. The dishes were put away and washed. The children were shooed off to bed, despite the fact that they were too big to be shooed. The twins led Harry to what had been previously a closet. "We had some improvements done to the house." Fred explained. "So you'll be spending the night here." He opened the door.   
  
Instead of the usual contents of a closet, Harry found a stone staircase going downward. The twins lead them down the stairs. The corridor was brightly lit with clusters of warm, ever glowing candles. They went downstairs about twenty feet until the corridor leveled off into a hallway. On either side were a series of doors. "There might be a little bit of dust on them." George warned the other children as they led downstairs. "They were only finished a week ago."  
  
"I'll bet your mother isn't complaining about your joke shop now." Harry said with a grin. "Not after what happened to Percy and with all this money coming in."   
  
Fred's ears turned a bit pink. "Yeah, there is that. She didn't actually say it, but when we offered to enlarge the place she sure didn't protest. There's even a guest cottage. The adults are staying in that. Mum's face glowed when we presented her with the plans for it."   
  
"Well at least you're putting the money to practical use." Hermione said, looking around her with curiosity.   
  
"Nice, it really is the burrow now." Taiko commented.   
  
"There's an extra bath at the end of the hall." George grinned. "Check out the new jacuzzi."   
  
"I think I will." Draco said innocently. Harry's eyebrows shot up. "Must be nice to finally have one."  
  
"Our's is practically a swimming pool." Fred's eyes sparkled. "You may not like us Weasley's Draco, but when we bounce back we bounce back with a vengeance."   
  
"As if I didn't notice." Draco said, rolling his eyes.   
  
Taiko said nothing, this felt like the sequel to a movie she'd missed. She knew nothing about the dynamics of this group, but she had the feeling that if it came down to it, Draco would be the odd man out.   
  
"Okay, Taiko and Hermione get these two." Fred indicated the two rooms furthest in on the right.  
  
"Where's that Luna kid?" Taiko asked.   
  
"She went home." Hermione said with a shrug. "Luna lives nearby."   
  
"And Harry and Draco get these two rooms." The two rooms furthest in on the right, okay, this isn't too bad, Taiko thought.  
  
Taiko's trunk and Ama-sama's and Tsuki-sama's cages were there. Her custom firebolt, Lightning, leaned against the table. Taiko's journal (Pillow,) and sketchbook had been stacked in the middle of the worktable and a tray of charcoals and her calligraphy supplies had been placed in the corner of the desk. Taiko's bodhran, (or Celtic War Drum) which she used in ritual, was on the shelf. The indigo flame candles that she preferred for working by was lit on the desk. On the far end of the room was a wardrobe for her clothes.  
  
Taiko was left alone to unpack. The room was kind of cold looking, despite attempts to make it warm. Taiko sighed and sang as she unpacked her clothes,   
  
Machi no hitogomi kata ga butsukatte hitoribocchi  
  
Hatenai sougen kaze ga byunbyun to hitoribocchi  
  
Docchi darou? nakitakunaru basho wa  
  
Futatsu maru wo tsukete choppiri otona sa  
  
Mechamecha kurushii kabe datte fui ni naze ka  
  
Buchikowasu yuuki to power waite kuru no wa  
  
Mechamecha kibishii hito-tachi ga fui ni miseta  
  
Yasashisa no sei dattari suru n darou ne  
  
Arigato ugozai masu!  
  
It was a song called, "Smile Bomb." As she worked on the books now (there was a shelf near the bed,) she sang the translations...  
  
Running in a crowd in a faceless town,  
  
I need to feel the touch of a friend.  
  
In the countryside I wander far and wide,  
  
The isolation gets me again.  
  
Taiko tenderly put her Foster Father's, Father's and Mother's funeral pictures on the desk with her writing implements.  
  
I don't know where to go,  
  
When I feel like crying oh my,  
  
It's time to open myself to something new,  
  
I want to stop- and grow up a bit.  
  
Taiko was accustomed to singing as she worked. That was how Uncle Andemon had discovered her extraordinary talents in music.   
  
Then suddenly my power and confidence starts swelling up magically erupt,  
  
And it's all because of kindness that I feel,  
  
From people I don't even know.  
  
Then suddenly my intuition and my wisdom grow,  
  
Hermione slipped in to say hello and heard her singing.   
  
And then I know,  
  
That most of all I sense compassions wield into strangers wherever I go,  
  
Thank you for waking me up.  
  
Hermione smiled. "That's beautiful." She said, applauding lightly.   
  
Taiko shrugged. "Its called Smile Bomb. I find it a bit soothing. I usually sing while I work."   
  
"I can see that. Um... do you have two owls?" She asked, looking at the cages.   
  
"Oh no, I have a phoenix that my foster mother gave me for my tenth birthday." Taiko pointed to the larger cage. "I put a disillusionment charm on her for the journey, she's on her way now with my owl Tsuki-sama."   
  
Hermione looked around, trying to find something to spark a conversation. "Oh you have picture's of your parents?" She asked.   
  
"They're not just any pictures. The black frame like that indicates that the subject is dead." Taiko explained. "They sit someplace where they can watch over us." She picked up the picture of Norman, who smiled at her and waved. "That's my foster father, Norman." She showed it to Hermione, before setting it down.   
  
"Huh, I didn't know that." Hermione sat down on the bed. "So, what's really bugging you about the transfer?"  
  
"None of your business." Taiko answered. "It really isn't."  
  
"No, but when you snap at Ginny... I WAS kind of curious." Hermione shrugged.   
  
"It's a long story. Read the novel and get out." Taiko threw a copy of Teen Valkire, her graphic novel based on her adventures at Salem, at Hermione.   
  
Hermione caught it, and stood up, glaring angrily at Taiko. "FINE!! I WAS JUST TRYING TO HELP YOU!!" She shouted at her.  
  
"I DON'T NEED IT!" Taiko shouted. "I DON'T NEED ANYONE!" Tears formed in her eyes. "Gods, how can I get close to anybody if I just have to transfer again?" She asked, to nobody.   
  
Hermione arched an eyebrow, curiously. Taiko threw a pillow at her. "GET OUT!"   
  
Hermione left Taiko to cry. "Why can't she see that we're just trying to be friendly?" She asked to an empty hallway.  
  
~meanwhile~  
  
Draco was brushing out his hair. He was currently minus a shirt and wearing silk pajama bottoms. He wouldn't wear the entire set just yet. Once he was sure that the girls had used the bath, he was going to try it out.   
  
Behind him, Draco heard the door to his room open and close. He whirled around. "Who's..."  
  
No one was there. "There?" He asked. He heard nothing, saw nothing. Draco's heart began to pound. He stood, poised, ready for action.   
  
Then something tackled him to the bed. Draco blinked. Harry whipped off the invisibility cloak and grinned, straddling Draco's hips. Draco blinked in surprise. "H...Harry?"  
  
"I told you I'd finish this later." Harry grinned.   
  
Draco smacked him with a pillow. "You scared me half to death!" He exclaimed.   
  
Harry caught it. "And you loved every second." He tossed it over his shoulder.   
  
"Too true. You know me too well." Draco smirked. Then he pulled Harry down to kiss him.   
  
The boy who lived was all too happy to oblige. 


	8. The Dream and the Seeing

Family Affair  
  
Chapter 8 The Dream and the Seeing  
  
Taiko slept and as she often did, she dreamed.   
  
When Taiko was under stress, like during a test, and for the few months after her previous transfer, she would have dreams of what was going on elsewhere in the world. Aunt Hikaru, a certified but retired Healer, had told her that it could happen in response to jet-lag, or to stress, or under other conditions, it could happen to a seer. Taiko had made her first prophecy when she was at the tender age of two.   
  
Taiko was falling, falling through a gray nothingness. She could not see, but she could hear. There was somebody talking to her. "Come on Padfoot! This way to the gate! Hurry up!"   
  
"I can't bloody see Jamie! Slow down!" Taiko replied in a baritone male voice.   
  
"You can't see because you're not accustomed to the mist yet! And if you could, then you'd be trapped, we have to hurry!" She was being tugged by her right hand, that much was clear. The voice seemed to echo, kind of like one of the ghosts of Salem Academy's Fort drawn through a tube.   
  
"Come on Prongs! Don't... don't drag me like this!" Taiko panted.   
  
"I said hurry it up. What do you want me to do, transform and carry you on my back? You wouldn't be able to ride me! I'm a shade... DUH!"   
  
"Why can't I stay here in peace anyway." Taiko demanded. They had slowed a bit, as though this "Prongs" was looking for something along the way.   
  
"Because my son needs your help! Lord Voldemort is planning something HUGE and he and his twin sister are the only ones who can stop it!"   
  
"Alright alright! I'm going! Jeesh, the things I do for your son!" Taiko rolled her eyes. "How far are we from it."   
  
"You're standing right in front of it." Icy hands on Taiko's shoulders pointed Taiko in the direction.   
  
"You did get Lord Enma's permission didn't you?"   
  
"Yeah, he said that there was no room for you yet, and you were innocent 16 years ago, so back you go!" This was said rather cheerfully.   
  
"Oh great, somehow I get the feeling that there's a string attached." Taiko said mournfully.   
  
"And you'd be right." Prongs said smugly. "So through the veil you... GO!" Taiko was shoved through the veil, kicked squarely in the butt by a seemingly nonexistent boot.  
  
Padfoot landed on his face and didn't hear anything more.   
  
Taiko bolted square upright in bed, startling her owl and phoenix from where they had curled up on her bed. She realized that she was covered in sweat. "Oh, I'm sorry, did I wake you?"   
  
Both animals, who were used to their Mistress' seeings by now, shook their heads.   
  
"I wonder who this Prongs was anyway." Taiko took her wand from her bedside. "Accio! Accio! Accio!" Taiko summoned her dream journal, eagle feather, voice sensitive quill and bottle of dragon's blood resin ink from her desk. Steadying the book across her lap, Taiko dictated her dream to her quill. The clock radio said 4:30 a.m.   
  
It went off at five. Taiko looked up from her journal. She had finished the dictation and quickly got up, stretched, and dressed. Turning off the radio, Taiko got up and went upstairs to the kitchen. Her phoenix and owl followed her. Checking to make sure that the ingredients were all there, Taiko set about making codfish balls, a New England favorite.   
  
Smelling the codfish, Hermione's cat, Crookshanks, ambled into the kitchen. He looked up at her with two, enormous amber eyes. "You'll get some when they're finished." Taiko told him. Crookshanks gave her a disgusted look and left, probably to find some mice.   
  
Mrs. Weasley came down first. "Oh Taiko! You didn't need to cook breakfast!"   
  
"That's alright Mrs. Weasley, I was in the mood for codfish balls." Taiko shrugged and dropped the first one in the frying pan.   
  
Harry came up with a yawn. "Hey have any of you seen my invisibility cloak? I had it last night and now its gone."   
  
"I found this outside of Draco's room." Hermione said pointedly, holding it up. "Honestly, you should take better care of your things. Remember what happened LAST time you left this out?"   
  
Guiltily, Harry gulped.   
  
Draco yawned, stretching a bit as he came upstairs. It looked as though he had just come out of the shower. "Hermione give it a rest." He yawned. "Honestly, if there's one thing I hate, it's a girl who's such a nosey know-it-all busy-body."  
  
"It kind of makes me wonder what Harry's cloak was doing outside of YOUR room?" Hermione asked, more insistantly.   
  
"I wanted to talk to him alone." Harry said stubbornly. "Is that a crime?"   
  
"You had a half an hour to talk to him alone." Hermione pointed out.   
  
Harry ignored her.   
  
"Fine, be that way! You know Harry, I thought you could trust us, whatever's going on." Hermione said angrily.   
  
"This is way WAY different Hermione." Harry told her with a sigh.   
  
"HOW is it different."   
  
They did not notice until Taiko stiffened in her chair.   
  
"HE HAS RETURNED." Taiko's voice changed.   
  
"Huh?" Every head swung around.   
  
"THE GUARDIAN OF THE BOY WHO LIVED HAS RETURNED. HE HAS BEEN SENT HOME BY THE LORD OF THE DEAD TO CONTINUE GUARDING HIM. HE BEARS THE MARK OF ONE WHO HAS CHEATED DEATH. THE...GUARDIAN...HAS... RETURNED..." With that Taiko collapsed.   
  
Hermione and Mrs. Weasley caught her between them.   
  
"What the Hell was that about?" Ron demanded. "Something about you?" He asked Harry.   
  
"Obviously, since there's only one boy who lived." Draco drawled, but the look of nervousness on his face told Hermione that he was just as nervous.   
  
"Huh?" Taiko sat up and blinked. "What happened? Why am I lying on the floor?"   
  
Everyone facefaulted.   
  
"YOU MEAN YOU DON'T BLOODY REMEMBER??" Ron demanded.   
  
"Um... well I remember blacking out, if that's what you mean." Taiko said, with round, innocent eyes. "But I don't remember anything else."   
  
Another facefault.   
  
Harry took a deep breath, and explained. Taiko's eyes turned round. "You mean I had another seeing?"   
  
"Another?" Ron demanded, his voice broke into a squeak. (A/N: awwwww! He so cute!)   
  
"Umm... yeah, my Aunt Ginger said that I had one at age 2 and another on my eighth birthday." Taiko explained.   
  
"That makes three..." Ron's eyes seemed to be bugging out of his head.   
  
"That's more than Professor Trelawney." Harry gawked. "And it doesn't even predict anybody's death."  
  
"Oh yes!" Hermione said sarcastically. "We're all so shocked."   
  
Draco was about to come back with a witty retort when four school barn owls and a great horned owl they couldn't identify came sailing in the kitchen window. The great horned owl landed in front of Ginny, presenting her with an envelope sealed in blue bearing the screaming eagle of Salem Coed Academy.   
  
"oooh!" Ginny squealed, ripping it open like it was a long awaited Christmas Gift. "I got a letter from the school!" She opened it, revealing a list of books, uniform and equipment, most of which she had already.   
  
Taiko opened her's. In it was a complete book list and. "OH NO! Professor Barona put me in Divination! I wanted Runes, but she makes me take it because I'm a seer!"   
  
Harry chuckled. "And Professor Trelawny isn't very good. Oh I really wish Professor Dumbledore had kept Firenze around!" He added with a sigh.   
  
"Oh, but I DO have care of Magical Creatures!" Taiko squeeled. "I'm really good with animals."   
  
Ama-sama, from the top of the refrigerator, warbled happily. Draco whirled around, but the phoenix simply fanned its wings, folded them to its back, and started preening.   
  
"I didn't know you had a phoenix!" Ginny squeeled. "Oh! He's so cute!"   
  
"SHE." Taiko corrected irritably.   
  
Mrs. Weasley kept some food hot for Mr. Weasley, who had been called away early for some reason. Taiko was just about to start on some pancakes and bacon when she heard the sound of gravel grinding under wheels.   
  
"Ahh he's home!" Mrs. Weasley said cheerfully.   
  
Mr. Weasley came in, looking rather frazzled. Fred and George came in behind him.   
  
"Oh how are you dear?" Mrs. Weasley asked, giving him a kiss on the cheek.   
  
Mr. Weasley looked as if he had seen a ghost. Numbly he sat down in the chair that Harry pulled out for him. "I don't know how they did it." He shook his head. "I can't stay long Molly. Fudge wants me to take Harry to meet him at Saint Mungo's."   
  
"What happened?" Taiko asked, eyes widening.   
  
"They found Sirius Black at the foot of the archway in the Department of Mysteries..."   
  
Every head in the kitchen turned to Taiko.  
  
"What?" Taiko demanded. 


	9. The Shade of Prongs

Family Affair  
  
Chapter 9 The Shade of Prongs  
  
It was because of Taiko's prophecy that Mr. Weasley insisted that she join them at Saint Mungo's. And so she piled into the Twins' Escalade. Mr. Weasley nervously sat up front with George and Lee. "Can you boys go a little bit slower?" He begged.   
  
"Slow? What's that?" George asked.   
  
Mr. Weasley looked a little bit green. "As in the speed limit?" He asked.   
  
"Oh, okay, we'd love to go 200 miles an hour."   
  
"That's about a hundred and forty miles too fast." Mr. Weasley pointed out.  
  
"No its not." Fred answered as the engine roared. "It's the limit of this car's speed."   
  
"I always wanted one of these." Taiko's eyes lit up.   
  
They sped out of the driveway, heading due south for London. George turned to Taiko. "Got any CD's you wanna hear?"   
  
"Yeah!" Taiko's eyes lit up. She handed them "Castles in the Sky," by Ian Vahn Dahl, Evanescence, and Avril Lavigne (A/N: spell?).   
  
"Hey you've got some good ones!" Lee exclaimed, as the radio blared to life.   
  
Taiko closed her eyes as they hurtled down the highway, letting the music wash over her, until they made it to London. Then her eyes turned rounder and rounder as they passed the famous landmarks. As they passed Big Ben, it went off, for a moment even blocking out the music! Taiko giggled.   
  
They soon pulled up to the familiar shabby department store. Taiko followed the Weasleys to the display window.   
  
Mr. Weasley leaned against the manikin in the window. "We're here to see Sirius Black." He whispered.   
  
The Maniken nodded and beckoned with a finger. Taiko, curious, followed Harry through the entrance. The waiting room was filled with Witches and Wizards waiting their turns. Some of them were perfectly normal, waiting for somebody. Others were bearing obvious injuries. Bites and cuts, extra ears or limbs, curses that they didn't know how to break were evident on others. Healers in lime green bustled here and there.   
  
"They're rather busy." Taiko commented.   
  
"They usually get a lot of people over the summer holidays." Mr. Weasley told her.   
  
"I can imagine. In Japan they only have a month of summer vacation though, so I wouldn't know." Taiko commented.   
  
"Oh well." Fred sighed. "Their loss!"   
  
Mr. Weasley led them into line. "We're here to meet Mr. Fudge about Sirius Black." He told the witch at the counter.   
  
"Artifact damage." She told them, rather bored.   
  
Taiko followed Mr. Weasley upstairs. She hung back with Harry, looking around. The place was clean, sterile white. Taiko sighed. She hated that color.   
  
Finally they reached a door with a sign that said, "Piper Ward, Healer; Terri Smith, Assistant; Lexi Sedna, Candy Stripe Apprentice: Cho Chang" Fred read.   
  
"Don't we know her?" George asked, blinking.   
  
Harry sweatdropped. "uuuuhhhh... yeah, we know her. Her friend gave us away last year."  
  
"Oh that's right." Fred said, with fake innocence.   
  
Harry smacked his forehead with his hand. "I don't want to hear about Cho, I really, really don't."   
  
"That bad huh?" George asked.   
  
"Yes." Harry winced.   
  
"I hear ya." Fred said, giving Harry a happy clout on the back. "Girls, they're so confusing sometimes."   
  
Taiko blinked, mystified. "Who is this Cho Chang?" She asked.   
  
"My ex-Girlfriend." Harry answered.   
  
"Oh really?" Harry turned around. Cho was standing there, glaring down at him.   
  
"Oh, hi Cho!" Harry said, sweatdropping. She did not look very happy.   
  
"Ex-Girlfriend huh? Who are you playing now? Hermione Granger?"   
  
"That's none of your business!" Harry snarled.   
  
Taiko, however, was very aware of Cho's large, shapely breasts. She could see the cleavage near the collar and her nipples through the tight candy striping uniform. Taiko turned beat red, squeaked, and hid behind George.   
  
"Ah Harry!" Fudge chose that moment to stride towards them.   
  
Cho backed off, but only because the Minister wanted to talk to him. "Yes Mr. Fudge?" Harry asked, forcing a cheerful smile.   
  
"I wanted to ask you, do you know anything about Sirius' return? Anything at all?"   
  
Harry shook his head. "No sir, none."   
  
"With all due respect sir." Fred told him. "Harry here thought that he wouldn't be coming back."   
  
Harry tried very hard to keep the pressing question inside. Then he said. "Sir, you won't be having the Dementors kiss Sirius would you?" Cho had mysteriously disappeared.   
  
"KISS HIM? MERLIN'S BEARD NO!" Fudge looked horrified. "Professor Dumbledore cleared his name for him, when the Unspeakables found him, he needed a healer, not a jail!"   
  
"How is he doing sir?" Taiko asked.   
  
"And who is this?" Fudge asked, blinking in surprise.   
  
"Mr. Fudge, this is Taiko, she had a seeing about Sirius shortly before we walked in the door." Mr. Weasley explained. "Or, we think it was about Sirius."   
  
"Merlin's beard! She looks just like you Mr. Potter." Fudge exclaimed.   
  
"She's Harry's twin." Mr. Weasley said hurriedly. "She was adopted by James' brother so that they would meet each other later."   
  
"Good gods in the heavens!" Fudge exclaimed.   
  
"Taiko, Harry, go inside and check on Sirius." Mr. Weasley ushered them into the room.   
  
Taiko followed her twin into the room. She had never met Sirius, so she felt a little shy. Sirius was lying on a bed, his skin pale. Sweat ran down his face. He was unconscious. Sirius thrashed in pain in his sleep, moaning, "James... no... please... I... ohhh!"   
  
It did not take Taiko long to see the cause of his pain. Two children stood on either side of Sirius' bed. They looked about first year age, but there was nothing first year about the magic they were performing. The first of them was a boy with short, black, very messy hair and hazel colored eyes. The second was a girl with long red hair and fox green eyes. The boy had his eyes closed, screwing them up in concentration. He was making hand signs, or Katas, and chanting, and the girl did the same, following his lead. She however, paused and said, //Please don't give us away!// While the boy ignored her, lest he break his concentration.   
  
Then Taiko realized that not only could Harry not see them, but that both children were floating three inches off the ground. A pair of scythes were leaned against the bedside table. The children seemed solid, but they appeared to blur around the edges, almost as though they were glowing. Ghosts maybe? No, everybody could see ghosts, and judging from Harry's expression as he knelt by Sirius' bedside, he did not see them.   
  
Taiko took off her hat, and pulled up a chair by Sirius' bedside. Harry took Sirius' hand in his, holding the palm to his cheek. "Its alright Sirius, I'm here, Dad isn't, he's dead remember?"   
  
There was no sign that Sirius heard him. Harry's expression was one of utter anguish. But Taiko had not time to ask him about it. At that moment, both children released the spell with a loud... ///HA!///   
  
Sirius writhed one last time, then fell into a deeper, more comfortable sleep. The two children collected their scythes. Who were they? Taiko wondered.   
  
//We are the guardians of death, followers of Lord Enma.// The girl answered. //Follow us not, for we know that you can. Lord Enma has commanded the death of the Dark Wizard commonly known as Voldemort. The Godfather, Sirius, is our servant now. He will be a servant of Death on Earth, as are you, your twin, and the Dragon Boy.//  
  
//And between you, the seer of what is not there, the boy who lived, and the dragon boy, you will conquer him, and bring the Dark Lord to Lord Enma's knees.// The boy said, looking at her with a blank, merciless gaze. //We will be waiting to collect him, for no one, not even a Dark Witch or Wizard, can conquer death.// With that, the two children whirled around, and faded out.   
  
Taiko sat in the chair. But Harry, who had taken Sirius' hand, gasped, dropping it. "Taiko, look..." He gasped.   
  
On the palm of Sirius' right hand, where James Potter had grasped it to lead him to the gate, was a silver marking shaped like a bolt of lightning. On his left, when Taiko looked, was a simple Kanji that read, "Enma." Taiko whispered in total awe.  
  
~later~  
  
"No fucking way." Ron exclaimed as Harry told him about what had happened. Taiko sat quietly, listening.   
  
"Way."   
  
"He kept calling out for your father?" Draco asked.   
  
"Yeah. I'm not sure why, after all, he's dead." Harry shook his head in confusion.   
  
"Yeah, I was wondering that too." Hermione nodded.   
  
"No witch or wizard knows what happens beyond the grave dude." Fred told them. "They look into that stuff in the department of mysteries."  
  
"James was there." Taiko said softly.   
  
"Huh?" Every head swiveled around to look at her.   
  
"I saw him, and a girl that must have been Lilly. They had scythes, and they were working some kind of ritual magic over Sirius." Taiko said softly. "They were shades, I think, because only a seer, an itako, or an onmyoji can see shades."   
  
"How does that differ from ghosts?" Ron asked.   
  
But Draco nodded. "My grandmother can see shades, she was a channeler."  
  
"And before they left, they said something about Sirius being an servant of death on Earth." Taiko shivered. "And that there were three others chosen to do that. They also said something about how we were supposed to go after Lord Voldemort, and that not even he could escape death."   
  
"Will you NOT say that name?" Ron demanded, shivering.   
  
Hermione looked thoughtful. "Um... Ron, how many of us are usually in on an adventure?"   
  
"um... three?" He asked.   
  
"Uh huh, glad you can count." Hermione answered with a nod. "Do you think they meant..."   
  
"No way man! Not me, uht uh! Deatheaters are one thing, but the big kahuna? NO WAY!" Ron exclaimed.   
  
Hermione's retort was interrupted by the arrival of a silky feathered black screech owl. It landed on Taiko's head. "SCOOTER!" Taiko exclaimed.   
  
"Who?" Hermione asked, fascinated.   
  
"Belili's owl. She named it Scooter because it likes riding on Belili's moped." Taiko explained.   
  
"Its so cute!" Hermione commented.   
  
"Sleek looking." Draco agreed.   
  
"And it stands out, so you always know who's sending..." Taiko said, opening the letter. "That's why nobody wanted it at Athena Owl Breeders..." Taiko read the letter aloud...  
  
"Dear Taiko,  
  
It took me awhile to write this, my hands are trembling as I write it. I want you to know, that what I'm about to tell you, I'm telling you because I trust you, and I hope you'll still want to be my friend. I'm a... a Lesbian, and I'm dating Rei..." Taiko broke off. "SHIMATTA!" She swore, throwing the letter on the ground.   
  
"Holy fuck that's some bloody heavy shit." Ron commented.   
  
Taiko wasn't listening. Scooter hooted an inquiry. Taiko smiled at him. "It's alright Scooter, I'm just commenting on my stupidity." Taiko said softly as she went inside.   
  
Taiko summoned her quill and a parchment, and began to write.   
  
"Dear Belili,  
  
So much has been going on lately. I had another seeing, and more of those weird dreams. Even worse, my seeing came true. I'm still shaking in my boots.   
  
And I found out why Professor Barona was so insistent. According to Professor Dumbledore, I'm the twin sister of THE Harry Potter. Talk about your bombshells!  
  
I'm not worried about you being a lesbian. And if I weren't leaving, I'd have asked you out. I miss you soooo much! I hope you're happy with Rei though. Maybe I'll see you next year, maybe not.   
  
Love,  
  
Taiko  
  
P.S. The exchange student's name is Ginny Weasley. Keep an eye out for her for me. Thanks o-o!   
  
Taiko attached the letter to Scooter's leg and sent the little owl on his way. But inside, she couldn't help kicking herself. 


	10. The Vision Quest

Family Affair  
  
Chapter 10 The Vision Quest  
  
That night, there was no rest for the weary. Taiko dropped her fork at dinner, and spoke the second Prophecy she'd uttered in twenty-four hours...  
  
"FIVE CHILDREN WILL BANISH THE FORCES OF DARKNESS. THE BONDS BETWEEN THEM ARE BEING FORGED AS WE SPEAK. THE BOY WHO LIVED AND HIS COMPANIONS WILL BE JOINED BY THE GIRL-WHO-SEES-WHAT-IS-NOT-THERE AND THE DRAGON BOY. TOGETHER THEY WILL CLEAR HIS PATH TO THE DARK LORD IN THE FINAL BATTLE. THE GIRL-WHO-SEES WILL TEACH THE BOY-WHO-LIVED THE SPELLS THAT HE NEEDS TO KNOW TO DESTROY THE DARK LORD UTTERLY, FOR HE, LIKE ALL OF US, MUST ANSWER TO THE JUDGE OF THE DEAD, ENMA FOR THEIR CRIMES IN LIFE. THEIR BONDS... ARE FORM...ING..." Taiko fell out of her chair.   
  
Hermione and Aunt Sappho grabbed her by the collar. Ron's spoon fell, halfway to his mouth. Aunt Ginger shook her head. "Again?" Harry demanded. "That's the second time today!"   
  
"I know, its weird isn't it?" Iruka, Taiko and Harry's cousin, said through a mouth full of chicken. "Its strange, normally years go by between two of a seer's visions."   
  
Aunt Ginger cleared her plate and excused herself. "Ohhhh Taiko." She whispered to the moon, "I fear things will go badly for you, now that you're in England, and you must feel so lonely starting over without any friends, but until you follow your prophecies, I doubt that you'll be returning to America. Uzume, Goddess of laughter and good times, watch out for her, I beg you."   
  
"Shoga." Snape came out after her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "Are you alright?"   
  
"Sev, Taiko's upset as it is. But that Prophecy... well... she was the 'Girl-Who-Sees,' but she doesn't know it... and when she realizes that she's not going back to Salem, or to Kyoto, she's not going to be very happy." Ginger turned into his embrace.  
  
"Its good to have you back at Hogwarts, Shoga." Snape said with a soft smile, looking down at her.   
  
"Just like old times huh?" Ginger smiled. Shoga was her legal name, but it translated into Ginger in English, and that was Snape's nickname for her.   
  
Inside, Harry went down to his room. Draco joined him after helping Aunt Natura with the dishes. "Hey, what do you think about all of this?" He asked, wrapping his arms around Harry's waist.  
  
"I don't really know what to make of it." Harry blushed. "I thought that Sirius was gone for good."   
  
"Isn't it weird though? Taiko says that the symbol on Sirius' left hand read Enma, what do you reckon that is?"   
  
"Dunno." Harry shrugged. "Maybe its the name of a ghost or something that crossed over."   
  
"I doubt it, from Taiko's tone of dread... hey maybe its the God of the Dead!" Draco suggested, shivering, "I mean, he DID come back from the dead."   
  
"No, I know from this Cartoon that Dudley watches that the Japanese God of the Dead is Shinigami." (A/N: Duo: you call?) Harry answered. To end the topic, he pulled Draco down into a long, tender kiss. Draco shivered, leaning into it.   
  
In a complete reversal of last night's position, Harry allowed Draco to push him gently to the bed. Trembling in pleasure, he did something that he'd never do in public. Harry Potter allowed Draco to dominate him.   
  
~that night~   
  
Taiko told Hermione every detail of what she'd seen that day in Sirius' ward. "That's what the girl said. I know I wasn't supposed to tell you about it, but I really don't know what to make of it."   
  
"You said something about Enma?" Hermione asked. "Who's that?"   
  
"Enma is the Japanese God of Justice. He tries the souls of those who have died. Depending on what they did in life, they either rest in Yomi and are reincarnated later or they're dropped straight into Hell and stay there." Taiko explained. "I think that's what she meant about Lord Voldemort not being able to defy death. Enma wants him to answer for his crimes."   
  
Hermione whistled appreciatively. "But who do they mean by Dragon Boy?" She wondered.   
  
"Draco means Dragon..." Taiko suggested. "And there are five us now. The number five is repeated throughout Eastern Magic  
  
"So it does mean us?" Hermione asked.   
  
"Probably." Taiko said softly. She looked at her hands. "I don't see any silver mark, maybe they have to do with what happened to Sirius."   
  
"I suppose we'll just have to wait and see. From what I hear, most of Divination is educated guesswork and subjective interpretation." Hermione shrugged.   
  
Right then and there, Taiko made her decision. When Hermione left, she pulled some special incense and four candles from her trunk, lit them and set the candles around her bed to the north, south, east, and west. Skyclad (A/N: That's naked in layman's terms.) Taiko pulled a vial of lavender oil, and a special blanket that she wove herself for ritual out of a special box in her trunk. Taiko spread the blanket out over the bed. She anointed her chakras with the oil, and using her wand, spread a protective circle around the bed, to keep out distractions. Then she lay down on the bed, closed her eyes, and focused on one thought. ///FIND THEM!!//  
  
Taiko felt a sickening jerk rocking her body. Then she was falling through a blank, blinding white light. Taiko fell to the sand of the desert with an OOMPH noise.   
  
//So, you finally came didn't you?//   
  
The woman frowning down at Taiko had long, silky red hair and eyes as fox green as her own. She carried a long, cruel looking scythe with a black handle and burgundy red leather grips, almost like blood. There was something about the look on her face, the expression, which was familiar. Taiko looked up, and gasped out... /Mom?/  
  
Lilly Potter smiled. //How did I know that you'd find me? You're just as smart as I was at your age, and just as headstrong as your father. But you took a huge risk going on this vision quest. Didn't you know that you could die?//  
  
/Yes. I knew, but I also knew that somebody on this side wouldn't let that happen./ It was a question.  
  
//Yes, that would be me, your father, and Lord Enma.// Lilly told her. //But while you're here, I have something for you and Harry, something that could be rather important. Stand back...//  
  
Taiko did. Lilly swung the scythe in a circle over her head and cried, //ACCIO ARTIFACTS!//  
  
Two small items, one silver and one gold, fell into the sand with a clinking noise. Taiko picked them up.   
  
They were compasses, both of which were surrounded by four stones at each quarter. Just above the 'N' was a tiny piece of citrine, as golden as the sun, near the 'E' was an emerald, next to the 'S' there was a sapphire, and next to the 'W' there was a ruby.   
  
/A compass?/ Taiko asked.   
  
//They are called Geas compasses. They will allow you to find anyone, anywhere, and Harry's has a special charm on it that will block Lord Voldemort from entering his mind. He should always wear it, especially since, like his father, he failed occlumancy.// Taiko turned them over. On the silver compass, a lightning bolt was carved into it and filled with some kind of hard, red substance. On the golden compass, was a crescent moon, filled with a similar substance, only blue.   
  
/Is this the protective spell?/ Taiko asked, /And why do I need one?/  
  
//Professor Dumbledore linked you to Harry, and Harry is linked to Voldemort, Lord Enma isn't taking any chances with you two. You're reactions to what comes your way are key in the fight between Harry and Voldemort.// Lilly explained. //We can't jeopardize you too.//  
  
/Mom, can you tell me something, what am I supposed to do?/ Taiko asked. /I just want to go back to Salem./  
  
//Taiko, I'm sorry, but you aren't going back. Not until Lord Voldemort is dead.//  
  
///NANI FUKU KA?/// Taiko demanded. (A/N: literally 'what the fuck?')  
  
Lilly winced. //I'm sorry, but that decision comes from upstairs.//  
  
Taiko snarled angrily and threw her hat on the ground, grinding it into the sand.   
  
//Taiko, you remember all those Miyazaki movies that you're so fond of watching, remember what the wise woman in Mononoke-hime once said? You cannot alter your fate, but you can rise to meet it. Harry has to kill Lord Voldemort, but if he uses the killing curse, then he'll get in trouble. However there are more powerful methods of killing than the Avada Kedavra.//  
  
/Like what?/ Taiko demanded, in a rather frazzled tone.   
  
//Have you not wondered where the Japanese school got the name 'Rashimban no Mahogakku?'// (A/N: School of the Compass)  
  
/I did think it was a weird name for a magic school./ Taiko admitted.   
  
//A long time ago, the son of ie no Ryuu's founder, Salan Slytherin, one of Rashimban's best heads, began creating his own magical techniques. He married the descendant of Queen Himiko the first of Japan. Queen Himiko claimed her ancestry from the Goddess Amateratsu, the goddess of the sun. Between Salan and his wife, they were able to concoct some of the most powerful spells and potions in history. Only the Gods were capable of performing some of these. You already use five of them; The lightning tiger curse, the earthquake turtle jinx, the curse of the flame gate phoenix, the tidal dragon scroll, and the snow wolf Katas. But these are simple to perform, most witches and wizards are capable of learning them, even though they aren't well known.// Lilly explained.   
  
//But the curse of the Rashimban is much, much different, only the members of the four Kyoto clans are capable of using it. And so, I pass on the knowledge to you. I'll expect you to teach this curse to Harry, so that he can use it against Lord Voldemort.//  
  
/Why not teach him yourself?/ Taiko asked, arching a skeptical eyebrow.   
  
//Harry has a low sixth sense, he is incapable of vision quests, until he can control the visions he has of Lord Voldemort, he will not be able to reach me here.//  
  
/I see. How do I perform the spell?/ Taiko asked.   
  
//It is better if I leave it in your mind.// Lilly stretched out a hand gently to her forehead. Taiko closed her eyes, listening to the spell in her mind.   
  
/I hear it.../ Taiko's eyes opened, a soft expression in them, as though she was turning inward on herself.   
  
//One more thing.// Lilly took Taiko's hands in hers and focused, chanting something in ancient Japanese.   
  
Something like a shock coursed through Taiko's body. The crescent on her forehead seared in pain. Taiko screamed, falling into her mother's arms. Just as quickly, the pain was gone. Taiko panted in Lilly's grip. /Mother, what was that?/ Taiko asked  
  
Lilly straightened up. //I needed to mark you. No potion or spell will ever duplicate that mark, so Harry will always be able to tell you apart from any deatheater who wishes to pass as you.// Taiko nodded, looking at her hands. She blinked. On her right hand, in gold, stood a single symbol, Enma.  
  
/This mark was on Sirius, only it was silver./ Taiko blinked.   
  
//In silver, it simply means that he has been allowed to return from the dead. He is, what you would call an angel of death.// (A/N: (looks up from Wish) He he! Angels of death rock! Just ask Koryu! Koryu: 0.0) //Any witch or wizard with that mark is more powerful than normal, your powers will also be boosted. Train a little bit and see what happens. You'll have the opportunity to use them soon enough.// Lilly said with a gentle smile.   
  
/Are you an angel of death too?/ Taiko asked eyes wide.  
  
//Sort of, the capitalization is different. An Angel of Death capitalized means that I have remained in the spirit world and now have the less than pleasant task of escorting the newly killed to their rest until its my turn to be reincarnated.// Lilly explained. //Don't worry, you'll see me soon enough.// She said with a smirk. //Now test the spell, and once I know that it works, I'll send you back to your body.//  
  
Taiko turned and saw an enormous boulder. /Will that do as a practice target?/   
  
//Perfectly.// Lilly answered.   
  
Taiko squared her shoulders, raised her wand, and cried, ///YOBIDASU RASHIMBAN!/// She let the spell fly.   
  
There was nothing left of the boulder, that much Taiko could see. But then she heard the whoosh of Lily's Scythe and the words, //See you soon!//   
  
Taiko fell through blackness, her body tingling through, hand and crescent searing in pain. She fell out of bed with a screech.   
  
Panting and sweating, Taiko blew out the candles and recalled the circle. Then she pulled on her bathrobe and kicked up her heals on the way to the baths. "Fame! I'm gonna live forever! I'm gonna learn how to fly!"   
  
Taiko laughed as she shed her robe and dove into the warm waters of the tube. Coming up for air, she leaned back in the water and floated, reflecting on her vision. "Ahhhhh!!"   
  
She was still singing the next morning. "What's got you so happy?" Asked Harry.   
  
"A vision quest last night... ahhhh the rapture." Taiko said, turning a chair around with a flourish and straddling it. She slathered her toast with butter and strawberry jam and took a big bite, savoring the flavor.   
  
"What's that?" Ron asked.   
  
Hermione's jaw dropped. "But they're incredibly complex and dangerous!!"   
  
"No, they're actually kind of easy for a seer. You just need a good sixth sense and a powerful imagination." Taiko grinned. "As Uncle Andemon will tell you, I have both in prodigious measures."  
  
"What IS a vision quest?" Ron asked insistently.   
  
"What was that about a vision quest?" Draco asked, a sausage dangling from the side of his mouth.   
  
Ginny bopped him. "Don't talk with your mouth full!"   
  
Draco winced, slurped the sausage into his mouth and chewed twice before swallowing in one bite.   
  
"A vision quest is easily the single most difficult type of divination out there." Hermione explained. "I wouldn't try them even if I did have the power. If something happens to you when you're on one, it could seriously injure your physical body."   
  
"Seers have even died on vision quests." Draco added. "They were handed down to the Wizarding Community by the Ancient Shaman, Medicine men and medicine women. But when they're done correctly, a seer can speak to the dead, retrieve artifacts or see things miles away, even communicate with the Gods!"   
  
Ron turned to Hermione for confirmation. She nodded. "They're that powerful Ron."   
  
Harry shivered. But Draco asked impudently. "So who did you talk to?"   
  
"Mum." Taiko said, nonchalantly. "I wanted answers about what was happening, and what had happened to Sirius, and I got them. I also got these." Taiko handed Harry his compass. "Harry, Mom had the God of Justice, Enma fix them so that when we've got them, Lo... I mean You-Know-Who can't attack our minds. Since you're such a failure at Occlumancy. They also allow us to find anybody, anywhere."   
  
Harry groaned. "She knew about that?"   
  
"Yup." Taiko crunched off half a slice of bacon hungrily.   
  
"That settles it." Ron said, rolling his eyes. "There's no way that Taiko could have known that without somebody helping her."   
  
"It turns out, that those marks on Sirius' hands were put there by Lily and James. Remember when Sirius was thrashing around Harry?"   
  
"Yeah."   
  
"Well, that was when they were doing it." Taiko said, finishing her bacon and taking a swig of orange juice. "I saw them at it. Apparently only seers can see when something like that is happening." Taiko explained.   
  
"So what do they mean?"   
  
"Sirius is an angel of death on Earth, that's what the Kanji was. The other mark means that he's an ally, and Mom also said that if anybody attempts to duplicate them, like with polyjuice potion or something, they won't appear with them. So we can always tell Sirius apart from any death eater that's trying to get at us." Taiko grinned. "She also gave me mine last night." Taiko held out her right hand. "She said that once I had one, my spell power would go up."   
  
They stared at the Kanji. "Does it hurt?" Ron asked, looking like a deer caught in head lights.   
  
"Yeah, but not for long." Taiko shrugged and turned back to her waffles. Mrs. Weasley was busy with the wash, but she had cooked everything and left it out for everyone to eat.   
  
At the moment, Hedwig, Pigwidgeon, and Tsuki were enjoying a plate of sausages on the counter, and Crookshanks was enjoying some leftover codfish balls. The twins had already eaten and left early, since Saturday was their busy day. Iruka had gone with them to hang out, and the twins were going to take him around Diagon Alley on their lunch day. Mr. Weasley was gone as well. Aunt Ginger and the grown ups had eaten and dispersed. It was only them left.   
  
"An angel of death?" Harry's eyes were round.   
  
"yeah, you want weird, try seeing your own mum with black dragon wings and a scythe like the grim reaper. It'll freak you out too." Taiko leaned back in her chair, hands behind her head, for a moment, before she got up to get more.   
  
Harry tried to imagine his smiling, cheerful mother as an angel of death. He didn't think of the photographs in the scrapbook Hagrid had gave him. He thought instead of the Lily he'd seen in Snape's memories the previous year. "Snape would be rolling on the ground in laughter."   
  
"Why?" Hermione asked.   
  
"Well... my dad used to pick on him, and mum was usually the first one to scold him." Harry chuckled. "He'd get a kick out of mum as an angel of death."   
  
"I can't really picture Professor Snape laughing at anything." Draco rolled his eyes. "But I'll take your word for it."   
  
"So can I visit mom that way?" Harry asked.   
  
"She said that you weren't able to yet, not until you can control the visions of Lord Voldemort that you keep having." Taiko took a big bite of one of the biscuits that Mrs. Weasley had made for them, probably from Aunt Hikaru's recipe. "I didn't know that happened until she told me."   
  
Harry rolled his eyes. "I tried to, I didn't really succeed and now Snape isn't likely to teach me anything."   
  
"What did you DO though?" Hermione pressed.   
  
"Um... well he had borrowed Dumbledore's pensieve so that if I turned the spell back on him, I wouldn't see what he didn't want me to, and when he was out of the room I looked into it."   
  
Taiko whistled appreciatively. "I wouldn't do that to anyone!"   
  
"And I won't do that again." Harry leaned back in his chair. Then he slipped the chain of the compass over his head, slipping it under his shirt. "If mum comes around again, do you think you could thank her for me?"   
  
"Sure." Taiko leaned back in her chair.   
  
An enormous knock resounded in the house. "I'll get it." Taiko jumped up.   
  
She went to the door and opened it.   
  
An enormous man stood at the door. He looked just too big to be allowed, with messy, wiry hair and a bushy, tangled beard. "Ye'd be Taiko Tora?" He asked in a strong accent.   
  
"I am." Taiko said, guardedly.   
  
"I'm Professor Hagrid, Groundskeeper fer Hogwarts an' Care o' Magical Creature's teacher. Professor Dumbledore asked me tuh take ya ter get yer school things."   
  
~notes~  
  
(sigh) that was long. I was originally going to have Taiko go to Diagon Alley this chapter, but I decided to use the Vision Quest so that Taiko could have her "Answers." With her personality, I doubt she'd have obeyed anyone until she'd gotten some. But I can so totally picture Lily as an angel of death. 


End file.
